§ SIR H. MAXWELL (Wigton)I beg to ask the President of the Board of Agriculture whether he can now state what arrangement, if any, he has come to with the Board of Trade for the regulation of the Trade in Imported Meat, and for the protection of customers against the fraudulent sale of such meat under British description.
§ THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE (Mr. H. GARDNER, Essex, Saffron Walden)Since the hon. Baronet last interrogated me on this subject, the Merchandise Marks (Prosecutions) Act, 1894, has become law. From the representations made to me it appeared doubtful whether the provisions 544 of that Act were fully known to those concerned, and I have accordingly issued an Explanatory Circular on the subject to the various Chambers of Agriculture, Agricultural Societies, and Farmers' Clubs throughout Great Britain. I have certainly no wish that the Act should remain a dead letter so long as any legitimate ground for complaint on the part of home-producers remains; and I will do my best to secure that any cases of fraudulent misrepresentation of the place of origin of agricultural produce, which may be brought to my notice, are dealt with as they deserve.