§ MR. SWIFT MACNEILL (Donegal, S.)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War whether General Sir Forestier 923 Walker, the newly-appointed Governor of Gibraltar, was Commander of the Forces in Cape Colony for two years during the existence of the meat contract with the Cold Storage Company, and had, as Commander-in-Chief, under him the men who passed the meat and had complete control over the Cold Storage Company, which it is estimated made a clear profit of £6,000,000 sterling from the contract; whether General Sir Forestier Walker, while in command of the Cape, or shortly after his relinquishment of that command, obtained, or was presented with by the Cold Storage Company, an interest in that company as holder of 200 and joint holder of 100 ordinary shares; whether Sir Forestier Walker subsequently became a director of the South African and Australian Cold Storage Company, to which the Cold Storage Company sold its business as a running concern with all its assets, a company which was formed for the sole purpose of buying the Cold Storage Company; and, if so, what explanation, if any, can be offered for the appointment of General Sir Forestier Walker to the Governorship of Gibraltar, having regard to his close connection with companies whose interests with the War Office have been the subject of public comment.
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR WAR (Mr. ARNOLD - FORSTER, Belfast, W.)The relations of General Sir Forestier Walker with the Cold Storage Company were fully discussed in this House in debate on Army Estimates of August 4th, 1902. He did not join the board until after he had ceased to be on full pay. There was nothing in General Sir Forestier Walker's action with regard to these companies which contravened any Army regulation.
§ MR. SWIFT MACNEILLIs it true or not that, immediately after resigning his command at the Cape, Sir Forestier Walker became director of a company whose contracts are now the subject of investigation by a Royal Commission?
§ MR. ARNOLD-FORSTERYes; but I am prepared to say that Sir Forestier Walker has done nothing either dishonourable or illegal.
§ MR. SWIFT MACNEILLIs he going to succeed Sir George White?
§ MR. ARNOLD-FORSTERYes, Sir.
§ Subsequently—
§ MR. SWIFT MACNEILLI beg to ask leave to move the adjournment of the House for the purpose of discussing a definite matter of urgent public importance, viz., the appointment of Sir Forestier Walker to the position of Governor of Gibraltar, having regard to his relations with the Imperial Cold Storage Company, of which he was a shareholder, immediately after his resignation of the command at the Cape, and his appointment as director of the Australian Cold Storage Company, a company whose contracts with the War Office have been the subject of public comment, and will be a matter of investigation before the Royal Commission on War Office Contracts now sitting.
§ * MR. SPEAKERI should have thought the proper course would be for the hon. Member to wait and see what the decision of the Stores Commission is.
§ MR. SWIFT MACNEILLLong before that decision is published, Sir Forestier Walker will be comfortably ensconced in Gibraltar, the very place where the cold storage is.
§ * MR. SPEAKERThe hon. Member can raise the question on the Appropriation Bill.
§ MR. SWIFT MACNEILLWith great respect, I shall not be able to raise it; for the moment I stand up, that instant the First Lord of the Treasury will move the closure.