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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
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C.O. 885
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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
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274
The tenderers desire that the contract should be c.i.f. out the War Office authorities insist that all business connected with the shipment of Australian horses to South Africa must be done f.o.b.
12. Mr. Barton will be glad if it can be represented to the War Office that, in the opinion of Ministers, the c.i.f. form of contract would produce more satisfactory results, both to Australian merchants and to the War Office. The multiplication of contracts entailed by the f.o.b. system cannot be conducive to economy, and, further, the employment of the o.i.f. method would lead to the business being carried out by shipowners employed in the regular trade between Australia and South Africa, and whose vessels have been built and fitted expressly for such trade.
13. Ministers are desirous of encouraging by every means in their power the increase in the number of regular traders between Great Britain, South Africa, and Australia, It will be of great advantage if encouragement can be afforded to such companies, in preference to having business done by occasional tramp steamers belonging to firms which have no settled interests in the Australian trade.
'14. In connection with this question of the respective merits of the two forms of contract, Mr. Barton suggests that a reference be made to Colonel Hunt, who has been for some time in the Commonwealth employed on duties in connection with the Remount Department of the Army in South Africa. That gentleman has been long enough in Australia to become fully acquainted with her conditions of trade, and he is consequently able to speak with authority as to the respective advantages for the Imperial authorities of the two methods of contract under review.
15. Mr. Barton is pleased to observe from the much fuller information afforded by the Admiralty that considerable portions of supplies required for the Navy are being purchased in Australian markets. He notes, however, that invitations to tender for preserved canned meat for the Navy generally are apparently issued only to Australian firms who have accredited agents in Great Britain. If that practice could be altered, so as to arrange that when invitation to tender for supplies were issued in England similar invitations might at the same time be publicly announced in the press of the leading cities of the Commonwealth, Mr. Barton thinks that the obtaining of suitable supplies would be greatly facilitated.
16. Mr. Barton frusts that the experience of the Admiralty in connection with the supplies of Australian and New Zealand salt pork, and salt beef, delivered in Sydney for the use of His Majesty's ships on the Australian, East Indian and China station is sufficiently satisfactory to induce them to widen the area which Australian merchants can supply. He believes that if such a course is followed, much general good feeling will be created in Australia, and complete satisfaction afforded to the Admiralty and to the consumers of the goods in question.
Mr. Barton will be pleased if early consideration could be given to the subjects dealt with in this minute.
Melbourne.
16th December 1901.
EDMUND Barton.
275
in the case of other lines if notification were made here and time allowed for submitting offers.
Yours faithfully,
Meat Preserters.
Flour Merchants.
Food Merchants.
Grain Merchants. Flour Merchants. Produce Merchants. Meat and Produce Exporters.
The Right Honourable Edmund Barton, P.C., &c.,
Melbourne.
3620.
SIB
No. 2.
For the ROSEWATER PACKING
Co., LTD.,
J. ROBERTS, Director. BRUNTON AND COMPANY. For and behalf of
PARSONS, BROTHERS, & Co.,
PROP., LTD.,
E. F. PARSONS, Director. JOHN BRIDGE AND COMPANY. GILLESPIE BROTHERS AND Co. H. PRESCOTT AND COMPANY. BIRT AND COMPANY, LTD.,
E. C. BECKETT, Secretary.
COLONIAL OFFICE to WAR OFFICE and ADMIRALTY.
Downing Street, January 31st, 1902. WITH reference to your letter of the 13th January, C.P. 296/534, I am directed by Mr. Secretary_Chamberlain to transmit to you, for the consideration of
Mr. Secretary Brodrick
copy of a despatch from the Governor- {the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty} General of Australia, enclosing a copy of a Minute from his Ministers on the subject of the supplies of meat, produce, and horses required by the Army and Navy.
2. It will be observed that Mr. Barton desires that early consideration should be given to the questions dealt with in his Minute.
3. A similar letter has been addressed to the
19065.
{
Admiralty. War Office.
I am, &c.,
FRED. GRAĦAM.
Sydney,
28th November 1901.
SIR,
Wa, the undersigned, producers and exporters of New South Wales, beg to draw your attention to the fact that we do not consider the War Office are drawing a fair quantity of the supplies required for the use of the Army in South Africa, from Australia. We think it will be very instructive if you can secure the figures of the War. Office and Admiralty purchases from Australian firms in connection with frozen
Litur ment, bust, jama, butter, osia, flour, bran, and horses.
We would respectfully request that you cable Mr. Chamberlain, notifying him of the considerable dissatisfaction existing in the Colonies on this account and suggesting than you be given particulam of all requirements, the same to be notified here, tenders obtained, the pries to be given by telegraph direct to the War Office. This is the only way the business can be conducted on its merita, and by direct dealings wish the houses, and the difference between the figures obtained by the latter from Houth frican bamses, us cosspared with the prices paid by the Impérial: Govsenment,
Lát pune hécemo,apparenă. The advasinge to the War Offos in dealing direst, as far as frozen mest is conészned, prodness here has been skraady pointed out, and the same metsarks would apply
soft anim id disku
SIB,
No. 3.
ADMIRALTY to COLONIAL OFFICE.
Admiralty, S.W.,
May 13th, 1902. WITH reference to your letter of 31st January last, No. 3,620, I am commanded by my Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty to acquaint you, for the information of the Secretary of State for the Colonies, that they have given their careful consideration to the despatch from the Governor-General of Australia, with accompanying Minute from his Ministers, on the subject of the supplies of meat, produce, &c., required for the Navy and Army.
My Lords desire me in the first place to reiterate the statement already made that they are fully alive to the advisability of developing, so far as possible, business relations with Colonial producers, and they have encouraged, and will continue to encourage, such relations by placing orders with Colonial firms whenever it is possible to do so consistently with due regard to quality and economy.
As regards the several points raised in Mr. Barton's Minute, it will be most convenient to deal with them paragraph by paragraph, premising that it is with the supply of Australian meat that the Admiralty is chiefly concerned.
Paragraphs 2, 7, and 15.—In respect of the suggestion that timely notice should be given of forthcoming contracts so as to enable tenders to be called in Australia, I sto Rr
E 21620