§ MR. MACDONA (Southwark, Rotherhithe)I beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board whether, seeing the great amount of fruit and vegetables that is imported from Rotterdam and Hamburg and sold by auction at Covent Garden, St. Katherine's Wharf, and Pudding Lane, a great quantity of which very often arrives in a rotten state unfit for human consumption, he will send an Inspector or Inspectors to attend these sales and empowered to prohibit the disposal of unwholesome food amongst thickly-populated districts?
§ THE PRESIDENT OK THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT BOARD (Mr. H. H. FOWLER,) Wolverhampton, E.The duty of seizing and, where necessary, obtaining an order of Justices for the destruction of articles of food which are unfit for human consumption devolves upon the Local Sanitary Authorities. I am informed that the authorities of the Strand District and of the City of London are exercising a careful supervision in this matter.
MR. J. LOWTHER (Kent, Thanet)Do I understand that if the Local Authority fails to discharge its duty the precautions are dropped?
§ MR. H. H. FOWLERI do not know what might happen in such a case, but I should like to take the opportunity of saying that in the present crisis the Local Authorities are doing everything they can to carry out the directions of the Local Government Board.
§ MR. A. C. MORTONMay I ask whether fruit and vegetables coming into the Port of London by water are not inspected at all times by the Port Sanitary Authority?
§ MR. H. H. FOWLEROf that I am not aware; but as my hon. Friend is a member of that Authority, he probably knows more about the matter than I do. I think the Port Sanitary Authority of London is pre-eminently distinguished on the present occasion for the admirable manner in which it has discharged its duty.
§ MR. A. C. MORTONThat is so, Mr. Speaker. Not only are these things inspected now, but they have been inspected at all times.