§ 24. Mr. RUPERT GWYNNEasked the right hon. Gentleman if he will lay upon the Table of the House a copy of the correspondence which took place between the War Office and the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief in South Africa with reference to the balance sheets of the Imperial Government farm at Middleburg?
§ Mr. H. BAKERNo, Sir, I do not think that any useful purpose would be served by laying the correspondence.
§ Mr. GWYNNEDoes the hon. Gentleman think that a matter of this kind, where £4,000 is concerned, should be hushed up?
§ 25. Mr. R. GWYNNEasked by whose orders the balance sheets of the Imperial Government farm at Middleburg, dated 31st March, 1908, showing a credit balance of £4,327 7s. 5d., and 31st August, 1908, showing a credit balance of £3,541 11s. 8d., respectively, were sent to the Army Council; and on whose instructions a revised balance sheet was prepared, which eventually showed a credit balance on 31st December, 1908, of £69 only?
§ Mr. BAKERThe balance sheets to 31st March, 1908, and 31st August, 1908, were sent to the Army Council by order of the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief in compliance with the instructions of the Council. The revised balance sheet to 31st December, 1908, was prepared on the instructions of the Army Council conveyed by letter to the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief.
§ Mr. GWYNNEWill the hon. Gentleman say who was the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief at the time?
§ Mr. GWYNNEThe question has been asked twice before.
§ Mr. BUTCHERWhat is the amount of the discrepancy between the two accounts?
§ Mr. BAKERThat has been dealt with at some length, but if the hon. and learned Gentleman has any specific question to ask I will certainly answer it.
§ Mr. GWYNNEThis is third time it has been asked, and each time we have had evasive answers.
§ 26. Mr. R. GWYNNEasked the right hon. Gentleman if his attention has been called to a letter from the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief in South Africa to the War Office, No. C/651/3 of 24th February, 1908, in which it is stated that the Imperial Government farm was not run in any interests except that of the public, and to an order issued by the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief in South Africa, No. C/651/3 of 2nd November, 1908, publishing instructions received from the Army Council to close down the Imperial Government farm at Middleburg, in order to obviate any loss falling on the public; and will he explain how these statements can be reconciled with 1840 the official announcement on the 5th February, 1913, that this farm was not run as a public undertaking?
§ Mr. BAKERI have seen the letter of the 24th February, 1908, from the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief in which the expression occurs that the farm was not run in any interest except that of the public. The meaning to be attached to the phrase is not that the farm was a public concern, but that its existence benefited the public by providing good supplies of milk to the hospital and other produce; and that it was not being run for personal profit. I have no knowledge of the local order issued by the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief.
§ Mr. GWYNNEWill the hon. Gentleman say how that answers the last part of the question, how these statements can be reconciled with the official statement on 5th February?
§ Mr. BAKERIf the hon. Gentleman will do me the favour of looking at my answer, he will see that the two answers are perfectly consistent. This is not a public undertaking.
§ 27. Sir REGINALD POLE-CAREWasked what was the amount of the original loan from the South African Garrison Institute and other public funds, respectively, raised for working capital to carry on the Imperial Government farm at Middleburg, South Africa?
§ Mr. BAKERThe advances received by the farm were £600 from a local garrison fund at the disposal of the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, £100 from the South African Garrison Institutes, and £952 from public funds.
§ Mr. GWYNNEWill the hon. Gentleman say whether all the money was spent?
§ 28. Sir R. POLE-CAREWasked why the balance sheets of the Imperial Government farm at Middleburg were sent to the Army Council if it was carried on as a private concern; and how many balance sheets in all were sent to the Army Council?
§ Mr. BAKERThe Army Council considered it desirable to have these balance sheets sent, not as accounts of a public concern rendered to the accounting officer of the War Department, but for administrative reasons, in order that they might 1841 keep in touch with the working of a garrison institution of an exceptional kind. In all thirteen balance sheets were sent to the Army Council at different dates from 1904 onwards.
§ 29. Sir R. POLE-CAREWasked what amount was repaid to public or other funds, respectively, on closing down the Imperial Government farm at Middleburg, South Africa; and at what date were such payments made?
§ Mr. BAKERThere is nothing in the War Office records to suggest that at the date of closing down the farm any repayments were clue to public or garrison funds apart from normal current trading transactions.
§ Mr. GWYNNEWere any of the sums originally borrowed paid back?
§ 30. Sir R. POLE-CAREWasked to what charities was £244 11s. 8d. paid, being the credit balance of the Imperial Government farm at Middleburg, and how much was given to each charity, respectively?
§ Mr. BAKERThe final balance of £244 or thereabouts was handed over to the Soldiers' and Sailors' Help Society.