ARMY SUPPLY SANDALS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2677, 5 July 1905, Page 49

ARMY SUPPLY SANDALS.

DISCUSSION IN PARLIAMENT. LONDON, June 27. In the House of Commons, Sir Herbert Reid's motion censuring the Government in connection with the South African war contracts was negatived by 329 to 255. Mr Brodrick said that Sir William Butler's report was unfair and inconv plete. The committee had ignored facts whereto it had access, and the public had been led to believe that all the stores were sold on ruinous terms. The stores sold were in nowise thrown away. Oats cost us landed h\ South Africa, 20s, and were sold for 355. We sold at Pretoria 15 million pounds of oats, buying back only three million pounds from the contractors. The actual sales to the public realised £718,000, or £310,000 Below the contract price. They must add £250,00(1 for freight and landing. The total loss was due to the stores having been carried about unhoused, thus losing 40 per cent, of their value. The existence of a dual system of sale and purchase to and from the same contractors was never brought) to his knowledge. Mr Arnold Forster and Mr Balfouf emphasised the remedies thai had been taken. Sir H. Campbell-Bannerman said that decentralisation in the matter of stores was carried to the pitch of folly, and thfl central authority was denuded of power.