§ Mr. W. THORNEasked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether in view of the demand for economy and retrenchment, he will now take into consideration the salaries of seven and a half guineas per day paid to Messrs. Knowles and Wells as Government meat inspectors, and request those gentlemen to accept an emolument more in accordance with that usually paid to meat inspectors or, failing this, will he publicly advertise these appointments and submit them to the competition of the best men?
§ Mr. FORSTERAs I have repeatedly explained to my hon. Friend, the comparison which he draws between the special duties of the gentlemen referred to and those of ordinary meat inspectors is quite misleading.
§ Mr. THORNEasked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether for several months past the Government have used a large amount of heifer frozen beef; whether in many cases heifer and cow quarters are shipped together in bulk, and in such cases the responsibility rests with the inspectors employed by Messrs. Perfect and Company to see that cow beef is rejected; whether these inspectors are competent to judge which are heifer and which are cow quarters; whether their system of examination is so conducted as to enable them to make the proper distinction; and whether he will request the acting chief inspector at Smithfield Market to submit the beef examiners and inspectors employed by Messrs. Perfect and Company to inspect Army beef to the same examination as that imposed on the Navy officers who are trained in Smithfield Market?
§ Mr. FORSTERThe answer to the first, part of my hon. Friend's question is that only a very small proportion of heifer frozen beef has ever been accepted for the troops. As regards the second part, the responsibility rests with the inspectors employed by Messrs. Perfect and Company to see that only suitable beef is issued to the troops. The answer to the third and fourth parts is in each case in the affirmative. As regards the last part, the present system of inspection has been found quite satisfactory, as my hon. Friend has been informed over and over again.