MR. CHAINING (Northampton, E.)I beg to ask the President of the Board of Agriculture when the Bill which he has in preparation for the prevention of adulteration of artificial manures and feeding stuffs will be introduced and put down for Second Reading; and whether, having regard to the fact that the principle of the Artificial Manures, &c. (Adulteration) Bill, now before the House, has been accepted in the resolutions passed by all the Chambers of Agriculture which have up to this date considered that Bill, by the Chemical Manure Manufacturers' Association, by the Incorporated Oil Seed Association, and by other corporate bodies interested in this question, and has received the unanimous approval of the agricultural Press, he proposes to embody in his own Bill the principle thus approved?
§ MR. CHAPLINI do not think that I shall be able to introduce this Bill until after Easter. With regard to the Second Reading, the hon. Member must be aware that it is impossible for me to make any statements on that point at present. In reply to the second part of the question, I may say that I am in daily receipt of numerous communications on this subject, and they hardly lead me to the conclusion that the hon. Gentleman's Bill meets with the universal approval which he appears to suppose. I am, however, entirely in accord with the hon. Gentleman in the objects which he has in view, and I hope it may be possible to devise a measure which will be considered as acceptable by each of the two Parties who are so greatly interested in the question. With regard to the last question which the hon. Member has put to me, he will have ample opportunity of informing himself as to the principle of the Bill in question 243 after it has been introduced and printed.
§ *MR. CHANNINGIs the right hon. Gentleman aware of any agricultural body which has expressed anything but a general approval of this Bill?
§ *MR. CHAPLINIn the communications which I have received some of the Agricultural Associations and Chambers have not expressed an entire approval of the Bill.
§ *MR. CHANNINGI beg to give notice that if the Bill of the right hon. Gentleman does not embody the principle of some sufficient guaranteed analysis with penalties for misrepresentation, I shall move, on the Second Beading of the Bill, that the Bill, together with my own, be referred to a Select Committee, and, if the necessity arises, I shall oppose the Second Beading of the Government measure.