§ MR. WILLIAM RUTHERFORDI beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether his attention has been called to the fact that firms of match importers had current contracts in existence for considerable quantities of matches for future delivery made prior to the First Reading of the White Phosphorus Matches Bill on 30th July, 1908; and, secondly, that on the passing of such Bill there would probably be considerable stocks, both in wholesale and retail hands, which could not in ordinary course be sold and consumed prior to the 1st January, 1910; and whether the Government would be prepared to accept an Amendment by way of proviso to Clause 2 of the Bill and Clause 3 of the Bill, whereby first the matches delivered in the United Kingdom in pursuance of contracts bona fide entered into prior to 30th July, 1908, and secondly the matches bona fide imported into the United Kingdom prior to the passing of the proposed Act, would be exempt from the penalties and provisions of the Act.
§ MR. GLADSTONEAccording to the information in my possession, the period of grace allowed by the Bill, which was eighteen months from the date of the introduction of the Bill, was ample for the purpose of the disposal of stocks delivered under contracts existing at that date; only one representation to the contrary effect has reached me, and that just recently. There would be difficulties in the way of exempting particular stocks 489 of matches from the operation of the Bill, but I shall be happy to consider any evidence of hardship that can be shown to be caused by the provisions of the Bill.