§ MR. MARKHAMI beg to ask the Secretary of State for War whether he will state the total sum of money paid by His Majesty's Government to the Chartered Company during the war; and whether he will lay upon the Table of the House all accounts which have been incurred by this Company and discharged by His Majesty's Government, in particular the payments made for the purchase of horses in Hungary and Texas, as also a statement of the rates paid by this Company to Messrs. Houlder Brothers for the transport of horses from Hungary to South Africa; and whether he will state the reason why His Majesty's Government allowed this Company to compete in the same market with themselves, when they had, by the Agreement made with this Company on 11th January, 1900, undertaken to pay all accounts incurred by the said Company.
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR WAR (Mr. BRODRICK,) Surrey, GuildfordI could not undertake at present to prepare the very elaborate return of figures which the hon. Member requires. As the Government were not at the time in a position to equip the force in question, the Chartered Company had to make the purchaser for itself.
§ MR. MARKHAMThe right hon. Gentleman has not answered the last paragraph of my Question, as to why the Government allowed this Company to compete in the same market.
§ MR. BRODRICKIt is impossible to deal with this matter by way of Question and answer.
§ MR. MARKHAMWill the Agreement made with the Chartered Company be laid upon the Table? The House knows nothing about this Agreement whatever.
§ MR. BRODRICKI think there is no necessity for giving these particular Papers.
§ MR. SWIFT MACNEILLIs the chairman of the Chartered Company a brother of two Cabinet Ministers?
§ MR. SPEAKEROrder, order!