§ THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE (Mr. W. LONG,) Liverpool, West DerbyI beg to ask for leave to introduce a Bill to Amend the Law relating to the Sale of Food and Drugs. This Bill differs from the Measures previously introduced by the^ President of the Local Government Board, in the respect that, whereas it has hitherto been proposed to introduce two Bills, I now propose to deal with both subjects in one Bill. The Bill is divided into two parts, the first of which deals with certain dairy products, and its operation extends to cheese, as well as to butter and milk. It provides for the imposition of penalties upon the conviction of offenders, and we take power to deal with these articles at the port by means of inspection. We also take power to make rules for the regulation of analyses, we extend the Margarine Act to cheese, impose a limitation on the admixture of butter with margarine, and, in respect of offences under the Sale of Food and Drugs Acts, impose cumulative penalties for the second and third offences, and also provide that foreign warranty shall not be admitted as an excuse, unless it is shown that all reasonable steps have been taken to ascertain that the facts are as stated. The Bill also adopts certain other minor proposals of the Select Committee, which sat for three years, inquired exhaustively into the whole subject, and to whose labours I am deeply indebted for many valuable recommendations.
Leave was given to introduce the Bill, which was read a first time.
§ THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF AGRICULTUREalso obtained leave to introduce a Bill to Amend the Enactments relating to the Improvement of Land, and the Lord Advocate (Mr. Graham Murray) obtained leave to bring in a Bill to Amend the Universities (Scotland) Act, 1858, and the Universities (Scotland) Act, 1889, in regard to retiring allowances of professors in the University of Aberdeen.
§ Both Bills were read a first time.