§ SIR THOMAS DEWARTo ask the Secretary to the Board of Trade, seeing that in response to resolutions sent to him by the Association of Chambers of Commerce lie has recently arranged to legalise weights of 20 lb., 10 lb., and 5 lb., and has ordered the preparation of standards of the same form as the present new 50 lb. weight, will he consider the desirability of taking such further steps as may be necessary to secure the universal adoption of the metric system.
(Answered by Mr. Bonar Law.) The 20, 10, and 5 lb. weights referred to are to be legalised in order to facilitate the weighing of goods under the Imperial system in certain trades where weights are calculated in pounds and not in stones and hundredweights, and their legalisation has no relation to the metric system of weights and measures. As regards the adoption of that system, I beg to refer my hon. friend to the reply given to his Question on the subject on March 1st † to which I have nothing to add.