MR. FIELDI beg to ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that German spirit is conveyed in large quantities from Belfast and elsewhere to Bristol, where it is converted into so-called Irish whisky and put into Irish whisky casks previously shipped for this purpose as empties from Glasgow and Greenock, and then re-shipped from Bristol to Belfast and other places in Ireland as real Irish whisky; and whether, in the interests of native manufacturers and consumers generally, an inquiry will be instituted respecting the manipulation and sale of this foreign mixture sold as Irish whisky?
§ THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER (Sir W. HARCOURT,) DerbyI must apologise to the hon. Gentleman for the delay in obtaining this information, but I am not yet in a position to answer the question.
MR. FIELDAm I to understand that the right hon. Gentleman is pursuing inquiries with respect to this matter, because I do not intend to allow it to pass away?
§ SIR W. HARCOURTI am pursuing inquiries, but the inquiries have not yet overtaken me. I have pressed for information, and I will take care that the matter is not overlooked.
MR. FIELDI may remind the right hon. Gentleman that this is the third time the question has appeared on the Paper.