§ MR. WHITLEYI beg to ask the Secretary of State for War on whose authority the system of local contract for the purchase and sale of stores was set up in South Africa; and why transactions involving six or seven millions of money were entrusted to military instead of civil officers.
§ MR. ARNOLD - FORSTERThe system of local contracts for the purchase of stores in South Africa was approved by the Financial Secretary on the advice of the Quartermaster-General and the Director of Contracts. The system of local sales in South Africa was initiated by Lord Kitchener and was subsequently approved by the Quartermaster-General and the Secretary of State. As these transactions were to be dealt with locally they were necessarily entrusted to the military officers on the spot.
§ MR. WHITLEYWill the right hon. Gentleman say, for the purpose of reference, which Financial Secretary and which Secretary of State respectively was responsible?
§ MR. ARNOLD-FORSTERI could give the hon. Gentleman the dates when a change took place. I was responsible for the transactions which occurred after the beginning of October, 1903. My predecessor was responsible up to that time.
§ MR. WHITLEYThe right hon. Gentleman has not given us the date of the transactions. Can he say who was responsible for authorising the setting up of this system of local purchase and sales?
§ MR. ARNOLD-FORSTERThe system was set up in 1902.