A WAR CONTRACT.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2149, 3 August 1907, Page 4

A WAR CONTRACT.

LOSS ON A SALE OF OATS. THE PREMIER. EXPLAINS. Sir J. G. AYnrd, in his reply in the Budget debate in the House of Representatives, said that Air. James Allen had referred to a loss upon the salo of oats by tho AV a r Office in South Africa in connection with tho South African AVar. Portions of these cargoes were reported to he damaged. The impression might be oonveyed th- u tho New Zealand Government In .1 shipped these oats on behalf of the Imperial Government. The New Zealand Government had nothing whatever to do with cither the purchase or tho shipments in question. They were sampled by the Government graders, whoso services were available for all shipments, and tlie cost, of tlieir services was charged for i.i the ordinary way. The assumpti in that tho New Zealand Government acted carelessly, through want of attention on the part of the graders, was absolutely without rant, so far as the Government whs concerned. Tho Government was not advised until three years after the shipments in question that any damage liad occurred, and tho correspondence showed that a portion of t.lie damaged oats was not sold in South Africa until eleven months afeir shipment from New, Zealand. Upc :i receipt of correspondence three years after the shipments had been made, the matter was referred to tho graders of the different ports where tile shipments had taken place, and they all advised that at the time of shipment the oats were in good condition, and were fair average quality, and the report of the graders was sent through the High Commissioner to the British Government at onee. For anyone to attempt to impute to the Government that they were in an,- way responsible for any loss that had taken place upon the sale in South Africa was absolutely without win rant. If the Army Council had asked for the fullest information to lie supplied to them, every information that it was possible to obtain would have readily been furnished. Neither the Government nor the colony was responsible directly or indirectly in connection with the matter The graders, so far as could he ascertained on inquiry had done their du-/ at the time, and to suggest, even by imputation, that the Government. or anyone connected with tho department had been negligent or indifferent was contrary to fact. It was shown at the inquiry that largo quantities of produce were held for a considerable timo in South Africa by the authorities. They had not taker, tho precaution of emptying the bags into either bins or elevators •to preserve them in good order and condition, and to liavo expected them to have remained in hags for a long period in South Africa as good as wb(:'- they wore shipped was to expect tho impossible.