§ MR. WEIRI beg to ask the President of the Board of Agriculture (1) whether he is aware that, as the result of the butchers' boycott, there has been a large increase in the number of farmers and feeders of stock throughout Scotland who have erected cattle-weighing machines at their farms, and who sell their fat cattle direct to the butchers without the aid of auctioneers; and that the weekly publication of the official returns of prices received under The Markets and Fairs (Weighing of Cattle) Act, 1891, would be of great assistance to such farmers and feeders; and (2) whether he is prepared to arrange for these official returns to be published weekly instead of quarterly as at present?
§ THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE (Mr. W. H. LONG,) Liverpool, West DerbyI have no reason to doubt that the facts are as stated in the first paragraph of the Question, but the returns we receive are not as yet so complete or so promptly rendered as to enable us to publish weekly statements of prices at the present time. The matter is, however, one which I shall be glad to keep in view.