§ 63. Mr. ORMSBY-GOREasked the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether, in view of the glut of meat in British ports, and in British ships awaiting to unload meat in British ports, some of this moat can be diverted to Trieste for sale in Central Europe where there is a meat famine; and whether, in the event of there being no adequate present supply of refrigerating vans on the railways radiating from Trieste, steps can be taken to have refrigerating vans made in Vienna or other manufacturing centre?
§ Sir H. GREENWOODThe question of shipping meat from this country to relieve the food crisis in Central Europe is being carefully studied. One cargo of refrigerated meat has already been sent to Vienna via Hamburg. The route via Trieste is not considered to be practicable for such shipments for the moment, as the railway facilities from Trieste, which are in any case limited, are largely monopolised by the transport of cereals to Austria. Under present financial conditions the Austrians greatly prefer to take cereals and fats rather than meat. As regards the last part of the question, a scheme is under consideration for the supply of raw materials for Austrian manufactures. But it is doubtful whether the best way of using those materials would be in the production of refrigerating vans, as, by the time the vans are 442 ready, the meat at present available in this country will probably have gone into-consumption.