§ MR. LANEI beg to ask the President of the Board of Agriculture whether he will undertake to bring under the notice of the Departments of Agriculture in France, Belgium, Holland, and Denmark the grave injury which is being done to the dairy farmers of those countries, and of Great Britain, by the growing practice of adulterating butter, with a view to holding a Conference to consider how this matter might be dealt with, in order to protect the dairy interests of the various countries concerned?
§ THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE (Mr. CHAPLIN,) Lincolnshire, SleafordThe question of the hon. Member refers to a matter which is undoubtedly of great importance to a large and, I believe, a steadily increasing branch of agricultural industry in the United Kingdom—namely, the manufacture of butter and dairy farming generally, and I listen, I can assure him, with a very sympathising ear to any representations affecting the prosperity of that branch of agricultural industry which the Board of Agriculture is doing its best to promote and encourage throughout the country at the present time. The question, however, of the hon. Member only appeared on the Paper this morning, and I have neither the knowledge nor information as to the facts of the case to warrant my undertaking to adopt the course he proposes. I will, however, examine into the facts without loss of time, with the view of ascertaining if it is possible or desirable 74 to take any action in the direction which he suggests; but I am under the impression that it is a matter which is within the jurisdiction of the Customs rather than the Board of Agriculture.