§ 62. Mr. MACMASTERasked the President of the Board of Trade what was the total quantity of chilled or frozen beef imported into Great Britain or for the purposes of the Army and Navy elsewhere during 1915 from, respectively, the Dominion of Canada, New Zealand, Australia, South Africa, or any other British Dominions; what was the total quantity imported from the United States of America and the Argentine Republic, respectively; and what provision is being made for increasing this portion of our food supply from our own Dominions, and for preventing the productions of our food supply from our own Dominions from 1537 being diverted into foreign channels by the purchase of such productions in foreign markets?
Mr. RUNCIMANI do not think there would be any advantage in stating publicly the exact sources of our supplies of meat, but the hon. and learned Gentleman may rest assured that the Government have in mind the same considerations that he has and that their operations are not likely to have the effect of diverting any food supplies from our own Dominions to foreign channels.
§ Mr. MACMASTERIs it not a fact that the comparative amount of supplies is well known through the medium of the public Press, and at a time when there is so much talk about Imperialism and the consolidation of the Empire could not a larger proportion of meat supplies be obtained from the British Dominions?
Mr. RUNCIMANI do not know what extra proportion the hon. and learned Gentleman would wish us to take, because my information is that we take now the entire refrigerator output of Australia, New Zealand, and Canada