§ SIR HERBERT MAXWELL (Wigtown)I beg to ask the President of the Board of Agriculture (1) whether there is any particular form of weigh ticket provided to be issued to sellers and buyers, under Section 6 of the Markets and Fairs (Weighing of Cattle) Act 1887; (2) whether the weight and signature of the weigher must be filled in with pen and ink; and (3), if no form of ticket exists, whether the Board of Agriculture will issue a suitable form of ticket after the style specified in the third schedule of the Weights and Measures Act 1889, for the weighing of coal, to be used in all markets and auction markets not exempted from the Weighing of Cattle Acts?
§ THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE (Mr. WALTER LONG,) Liverpool, West DerbyThe answer to the two first inquiries made by my hon. Friend is in the negative. With regard to the third, I am advised that I have no power to require the use of any particular form of ticket, and, under existing circumstances. I scarcely think that the issue of any model form would be of any practical advantage.
§ SIR HERBERT MAXWELLI beg to ask the President of the Board of Agriculture whether he is aware that in numerous instances market authorities not exempted from the Weighing of Cattle Acts have erected in their markets ordinary cart weigh-bridges fitted with pens 5½ or 6 feet long; whether he is aware that the cattle to be weighed on those machines frequently measure as much as 8½ or 9 feet in length; and whether such weigh-bridges constitute sufficient and suitable accommodation for weighing cattle in terms of Section 2 of the Weighing of Cattle Act 1891; and, if not, whether he will consider the propriety of issuing to market authorities a regulation prescribing a minimum length of 10 feet on every pen as necessary in order properly to comply with the provisions of the said Act, and calling for the removal of all existing pens of less length?
§ MR WALTER LONGIt is the case that in some instances weighbridges of the sizes mentioned have been erected, and that the full length of the cattle to be weighed might be as stated; but I am not prepared to say generally that in no case does such a weigh-bridge constitute a sufficient compliance with the requirements of the Act. If any specific complaint should be made to me, which, however, has not yet been the case, I would of course cause full inquiry to be made. In the recommendations we have issued on the subject it is suggested that the platform should be not less than 8 feet long and 3 feet wide.