ARMY SUPPLY SCANDAL. MINISTERIAL DEFENCE

Gisborne Times, Volume XVIII, Issue 1492, 28 June 1905, Page 2

ARMY SUPPLY SCANDAL. MINISTERIAL DEFENCE

By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright Received l'?.l a.m., June 27. 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 328 to 255. Mr Brodriek said Sir William Butler’s report was unfair and incomplete. The committee ignored faot3 whereto they had access, and the public were led to believe that all stores were sold on ruinous terms.

Continuing, he said : “ The stores sold were in no wise thrown away. Oats cost us landed in South Africa 20s, and were sold for 355. Wo sold at Pretoria fifteen million pounds of oats, buying baok only three millions from contractors. The actual sales to the public realised £718,000, or £310,000 below the contract price. We must add a quarter of a million freight and lauding to the total. . The loss due to tho stores being carried about unhoused was 40 per cent. of. the value.” The existence of the dual system of sale and purchase to and from the same contractor had never been brought to his knowledge. Mr Forster and Mr Balfour emphasised the remedies taken.

Sir H. Campbell-Bannerman said the decentralisation in the matter of'stores was oarried to the pitch of folly. The central authority was denudod of power.