§ MR. FFRENCH (Wexford, S.)I beg to ask the hon. Member for Huntington shire, as representing the Board of Agriculture, whether any amendment will be made or is in contemplation in the Fertilizers and Feeding Stuffs Act of 1893, to insure that purchases of artificial manures in Ireland are of the quality represented to them: whether he is aware that owing to the absence of analysis or other certified guarantee, nitrogen is frequently put down as ammonia or sulphate of ammonia, whereas one part of nitrogen equals 4.7 parts of sulphate of ammonia; that equally fraudulent statements are made regarding potash, potash salts, and phosphates, to the detriment of the purchaser; and whether, with a view to preventing fraud on the purchaser, the analysis of each bag sold will in future be ordered to be stamped or printed on each bag; that the police or other inspector empowered by the county council shall be authorised to take samples in the usual way for submission to the county analyst; and that, as regards feeding stuffs, merchants will be obliged to give the exact analytical composition of these goods, failure to stand analytical test subsequently to be constituted an offence punishable in a court of summary jurisdiction, or can he hold out any hope of amendment of the law in these directions.
§ THE CHIEF SECRETARY FOR IRELAND (Mr. WYNDHAM,) DoverAt my hon. friend's request I will reply to this Question. The question of amending the Act in so far as it applies to Ireland is now under consideration, and the suggestions of the hon. Member will not be lost; sight of.
MR. FFEHNCHasked if there was any objection to having analyses made of artificial manures in Ireland as required by Act of Parliament in England?
§ MR. WYNDHAMI have said that the whole matter is under consideration, 252 and the hon. Member's suggestion will not be lost sight of.