§ MR. MOONEY (Newry)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War whether he can inform the House what percentage of horses used in the Army are bred in Ireland, or, failing this, what proportion of Army horses have been procured in Ireland during the last five years.
§ MR. HALDANEIt is not possible to state what proportion of the horses used in the Army are bred in Ireland. During the five years ended March, 1908, 17,959 horses were purchased in the United Kingdom, and of these 11,590 were purchased in Ireland.
§ CAPTAIN DONELAN (Cork, E.)Does any machinery exist for purchasing Army horses direct from the breeder?
§ MR. HALDANENo, I think not, but the Remount Department has very large discretion.
§ EARL WINTERTON (Sussex, Horsham)Do not foreign Powers obtain the best horses for Army purposes?
§ MR. HALDANEI believe they compete keenly for Irish horses.