§ MR. O'SHAUGHNESSY (Limerick, W.)I beg to ask the President of the Board of Agriculture, having regard to the fact that the pyramid box in which Irish butter is packed is an Irish invention, that no other country has adopted it, and that packages of other butter-producing countries are quite different from it, and seeing that quantities of adulterated butter, not of Irish make, are sold in these boxes, will he take steps to prevent butter not of Irish make being sold in these boxes in the future.
§ MR. HANBURYPyramid boxes are not I am informed used only for Irish butter. Danish and Swedish butter are also quoted as sold in pyramid boxes, according to the official conditions of sale fixed by the committee of the Home and Foreign Produce Exchange. If the butter or the box not being Irish is marked as Irish it would appear to be an offence against the Merchandise Marks Act.
§ MR. O'SHAUGHNESSYI beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that the butter, not of Irish make though packed in Irish pyramid boxes, found by the public analyst to contain an undue percentage of water and boric acid, sent by the firm of Lemaire and Classy, of London, to Mr. Robert Gibson, of Limerick, for sale, and for the sale of three samples of which a successful prosecution took place at Limerick Petty Sessions, was sent to his order in Dublin, and that on its arrival at the Kingsbridge terminus in Dublin thirty samples of it were taken by the Public Health Department in that city; and can he explain why prosecutions have not been instituted in Dublin, as in Limerick, against the principals or agent to prevent this fraud on the Irish butter trade.
§ MR. WYNDHAMThe Department of Agriculture is informed that the 61 public health authorities in Dublin were advised that no legal proceedings could be taken in respect of these packages of butter sent from Limerick, inasmuch as the butter was not exposed for sale in Dublin.
§ MR. O'SHAUGHNESSYCannot the right hon. Gentleman take any action in the matter?
§ MR. WYNDHAMIt is evident it would be of no effect.
§ CAPTAIN DONELANWhat became of the butter? Was it confiscated?
§ MR. WYNDHAMI cannot say, but the Department is doing all in its power to do what is proper in these cases.
§ MR. O'SHAUGHNESSYI beg to ask the President of the Board of Agriculture whether, as the firm of Lemaire and Classy, of London, aver that the maker of butter, not of Irish make but packed in Irish pyramid boxes, containing an undue percentage of water and boric acid, maintains it was carelessly and not fraudulently made, he will institute an inquiry into the matter, to clear the reputation of the said firm, who say they bought and paid for the butter as pure and with a guarantee of purity, and in the public interest to ascertain who the maker of the butter is.
§ MR. HANBURYIn consequence of a communication from the Irish Department inquiries are now being made as to the makers of the butter referred to in this question and the channels of its distribution in Great Britain. It would not facilitate possible legal proceedings to make any further statement at the present moment.