§ MR. SWIFT MACNEILL (Donegal, S.)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that stores of ham and bacon packed by well-known Britis and Irish firms sent out to South Africa as war stores, and to all appearances sound and good, were burnt at Durban by order of the military authorities; and, if so, will he state what was the estimated cost of these stores, and what was their aggregate amount; and what explanation, if any, is there of the waste of this public property, having regard to the severe distress and scarcity of food in many parts of South Africa.
§ MR. ARNOLD-FORSTERThe hon. and learned Member has been somewhat misinformed. The stores of ham and bacon destroyed at Durban suffered through the deficiency of proper storage 575 consequent on war conditions, and were condemned as unfit for human consumption, having become so corrupt that they were a danger to the health of the inhabitants. The general officer commanding reported on the 12th October last that the total then condemned amounted to 48,413 lbs. bacon and 161,273 lbs. ham, and that a further 190,000 lbs. bacon known to be bad awaited formal condemnation. The estimated value of all these supplies is £19,000.