78. Colonel THORNEasked the Minister of Food if, between 9th December, 1918, and 2nd February last, the Government slaughter-house agent at Salisbury voluntarily surrendered to the local sanitary inspector 18,340 lbs. of meat, besides large quantities of offal, as unfit for human food; if these animals were bought by the Government and, if so, who bought them; who bears the loss of the 224 18,340 lbs. of meat; and whether this food was bought originally to feed our soldiers and sailors?
Mr. ROBERTSThe answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. The fourth-grade cattle, from which the meat in question was obtained, had not been purchased on behalf of the Government, and as the insurance scheme of the Ministry of Food does not include such cattle, the loss falls on the owners of the beasts. The answer to the last part of the question is in the negative.