DISCUSSION IN HOME PARLIAMENT.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLII, Issue 7386, 12 February 1902, Page 2

DISCUSSION IN HOME PARLIAMENT.

Received Febraary 12, 9 a.m.

LoNDdN, February 11. In the House of Commons, Lord Stanley said that Bergl's explanation with reference to the Liverpool fine was that his assistant sold Australian meat as New Zealand. The Committee in .the War Offioe saw no reason for excluding Bergl on this ground , and, further, Bergl had proved to be a good army contractor for twenty years past, and was also a naturalised Britisher. His guarantors included the' Federal Steamship Co., Houlder Bros., Craart (a contractor to the Natal Forces, who was the manager of a South African Company), and also include Karl Meyer. Bergl, who was the manager of the Britain Weil Tynans Company, representing De Beers, S troy an (member for West Perthshire), Lewis and Marks, and Joel. Regarding the pledge to draw all meat as far as possible from the colonies, the War Office had ample confidence in their inspectors at the Cape to ensure fulfilment in spirit and letter of the contracts. The prices stipulated were eight pence half-penny per pound for live meat, five pence, halfpenny for frozen meat, including delivery wherever required. Debeera' and Joel's names were received with ironical opposition cheers. Lord Carrington, in the House of Lords, further criticised Bergl, 'and complained that the shippers 'identified with the oontract held large Argentine interests. He moved for tbe production of the contraot papers relating thereto. The Standard is not satisfied that an efficient guarantee has been secured to keep the contractors from taking foreign meat when oolonial is available.