§ Mr. PETOasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that condensed milk manufactured by the Wilts United Dairies Company, diploma brand, which is habitually refused by the Board 633 of Trade inspectors when tendered for victualling British merchant service ships, has been placed by the Canadian Government as first among nineteen brands of condensed milk tested from casual samples purchased by Government inspectors in Canada, including Nestlé's, which on analysis comes tenth on the list; and whether, in view of this, he will institute an impartial inquiry into the relative merits of the condensed milk manufactured by the Wilts United Dairies Company and Messrs. Nestlé, the Anglo-Swiss, and other foreign makers, both as manufactured and after undergoing the test of a long tropical voyage?
§ The PRESIDENT Of the BOARD of TRADE (Mr. Buxton)The Board of Trade received in September last an advertisement from the Wilts United Dairies Company containing an extract from the report to which the question refers; but I am advised that the tests in question have no bearing upon the supply of milk for ships' stores in this country. The inspectors of the Board of Trade are instructed to require all stores submitted to them to attain a certain standard; they are not concerned with the relative merits of different brands.
§ Mr. PETOasked the President of the Board of Trade whether his attention has been called to the difficulties and disadvantages imposed on the milk industry carried on by the Wilts United Dairies Company owing to the refusal of the Board's inspectors to pass their product, namely, condensed milk, diploma brand, for use on ships of the merchant service; and, as the action of the Board of Trade officials prevents the Wilts Dairies Company from doing any shipping trade and also prejudices their trade in the home market, and the condensed milk of the foreign combine, which includes Messrs. Nestlé and the Anglo-Swiss Companies, is passed simply on label, and a test of the comparative keeping qualities of the milk produced by the Wilts United Dairies Company and the foreign combine under fair and equal conditions has been refused, and as in effect the victualling of the British merchantmen, so far as milk is concerned, is thereby left entirely in the hands of the above-mentioned combine, whether he will issue such instructions as are necessary to his Department to secure fair and equal opportunities for British produce?
§ Mr. BUXTONI am aware that the condensed milk submitted by the company 634 named has on more than one occasion failed to reach the standard required by the Board of Trade for ships' stores. A test of that milk under practical conditions at sea has been proposed by the Board, but declined by the company, except on conditions which it was impossible to accept. The Board of Trade inspectors are instructed to judge all stores submitted to them by their quality at the time of inspection, and not by their brand or origin.
§ Mr. PETOMay I ask whether the right hon. Gentleman will make special inquiries in order to satisfy himself that there is no bias, prejudice, or any other motive on the part of any Board of Trade inspectors which would operate to the disadvantage of the company I have named?
§ Mr. BUXTONI am fully satisfied on that. No outside interest is served in regard to these matters. The best possible consideration is given with a desire to be fair between these various companies. In this case samples of milk that have to be tested were not up to the standard.
§ Mr. J. KINGCan the right hon. Gentleman assure the House that the precautions in this matter are directed entirely to the well-being of the sailors on the ship, and not for any traders' benefit?
§ Mr. BUXTONCertainly.