§ 60. Mr. W. THORNEasked the Under-Secretary for War whether his attention has been drawn to the paragraph in the annual report of the clerk and superintendent of Smithfield Market presented to the City of London Corporation for the year 1914, showing that, owing to the heavy run upon frozen beef by the Army authorities, the effect upon the reopening of the market on 4th August was immediate, and that prices ran up alarmingly, and that frozen beef is never carried to a large extent, and therefore available 405 supplies were eagerly sought for and exchanged hands at ridiculous prices far and away above the real market value; whether, when he stated that the Government had acquired their frozen meat supplies at current rates, it involved the payment of prices thus described as being far and above the market value; and will he give the name of the officer of the Army Service Corps who was responsible for the Government meat purchases.
Mr. BAKERThe conditions following on the outbreak of war and the immediate needs of the Army and Navy may have caused a sudden advance in prices. At the outset some purchases were made locally in the commands at rates above the normal, but within a fortnight the position was improved by the centralisation of the buying in the War Office. From 24th August to the present time, in spite of the enormous demands of the Army, prices have hardly varied more than ¼d. The responsible officer is the Director of Supplies and Transport at the War Office, Major-General S. S. Long, C.B.
§ 61. Mr. W. THORNEasked the Under-Secretary for War whether, in respect of the contract of Messrs. Borthwick and Sons, Limited, any decision has yet been arrived at by the War Office respecting the increased payment demanded; if so, what amount of increase has been granted and what were the grounds of such a grant; and, in the event of the matter still being under consideration, will he take note of the fact that all the meat supplied by this firm to the War Office between 1st August and 30th September was in the firm's possession in Queensland before the declaration of war, and that the firm was therefore not affected in the matter of the contract by the outbreak of hostilities?
Mr. BAKERThis firm supplied the full requirements, as originally estimated, at the contract price. For the quantities supplied in excess of the estimate they were allowed a slight addition in price, which was fixed in consultation with the Board of Agriculture.
§ 62. Mr. W. THORNEasked the Under-Secretary for War whether, in connection with Army meat purchases, he has been approached or had any transactions with a body called the Incorporated Society of Meat Importers; whether, despite the payment by the Government of increased 406 prices for meat during August, this body met to consider the question of forcing them even higher still; whether he has any official information showing that this body is a ring of Australasian meat importers cornering the meat supplies from the Colonies; whether he is aware that during August a circular was issued by; the Incorporated Society of Meat Trades, in which the firms who had beef in store were charged with unduly taking advantage of the position; and whether he will consider the advisability of withholding from the members of this society of importers any commissions to sell or dispose of any surplus supplies of Government meat which may arrive?
Mr. BAKERThe answer to the various points raised in the hon. Member's question is, according to my information, in each case in the negative.
§ Sir JOHN SPEARDoes not the hon. Gentleman think that if English producers of meat were allowed to compete with foreign producers in supplying the Army generally it would prevent the establishment of rings in this country?
§ Mr. SPEAKERThat is a matter for argument.
§ 63. Mr. W. THORNEasked the Under-Secretary for War whether his attention has been drawn to a report of the Colonial Consignment and Distributing Company, Limited, dated 12th March, in which it is recorded that a consignment of frozen beef has arrived from China; whether this beef is stored in the same refrigerators as the beef now being purchased for the Army; whether there is any likelihood of any of it being supplied to our troops at the front; and whether, in view of the definite statement in the Press that the gentleman employed as meat inspector to the War Office had no previous training under any of the sanitary authorities usually employing meat inspectors, and is dependent for the principal part of his income on the employment of firms who import frozen meat, he will consider the advisability of having all meat drawn for the troops from the particular refrigerator in which this Chinese beef is stored specially re-inspected by some qualified meat inspectors employed by one or other of our large municipalities?
Mr. BAKERI have received information of this. The consignment in question 407 may have been stored in the same refrigerator as beef purchased for the Army, as Army beef has been stored in practically every store in London and Liverpool. There is no possibility whatever of its having been supplied to the troops. The meat expert employed by the War Office holds the qualification of the Royal Sanitary Institute. I am informed that he is not dependent for the principal part of his income on employment by firms who import frozen meat.
§ 64. Mr. W. THORNEasked what were the precise relations between the War Office and Mr. Gordon Campbell concerning meat supplies to the Government; and whether any purchases were made from the firm of W. Weddel and Company, Limited, or from any Australian firms through the agency of W. Weddel and Company, Limited?
Mr. BAKERThere has been no appointment of a buyer, but Mr. Gordon Campbell has rendered valuable assistance to the Department in the purchase of meat. His services have been given without commission or remuneration of any kind. Some meat was bought from and through W. Weddell and Co., Ltd., which was one of the twenty-five firms from whom the purchases were made.
§ 65. Mr. W. THORNEasked the Under-Secretary for War whether his attention has been called to the allegation that the Government drove the market for frozen meat up to a needlessly high level by purchasing on an over-broad basis at the out-break of the War; will he say if it was upon the advice of prominent members of the frozen meat trade that the purchases of the Government were effected; what prices in actual figures per pound were approximately paid for frozen beef and mutton supplies during August and September, 1914; and how do these figures compare with the weekly lists of the Incorporated Society of Meat Importers recording frozen meat prices for the last two weeks of July, 1914?
Mr. BAKERI have dealt with the first part of the hon. Member's question in my answer to Question No. 60. Advice as to purchases was freely accepted, but the price was in every case fixed by the War Department. The actual prices must be treated as confidential, but the hon. Member shall see the list if he so wishes. 408 In no case are they higher, and in many cases they are lower, than those shown in the corresponding weekly lists of the Incorporated Society.