Captain FABERasked the President of the Board of Trade if he will state whether his attention has been called to the Dayton spring-weighing machines used in shops where the custom is mostly amongst the very poor; and whether he will cause inquiry to be made into the accuracy of such springs?
Mr. BUXTONThe Board of Trade have granted certificates under Section 6 of the Weights and Measures Act 1904 to the effect that the patterns submitted of the machines to which the hon. and gallant Member refers have not been found to be constructed in such a manner as to facilitate the perpetration of fraud. The examination of the accuracy of any particular 339 machine, both before it is brought into use and periodically thereafter, rests with the local inspectors of weights and measures who work under the directions of the local authority of their district, and any inquiry which might be necessary would come within their province.
Mr. BUXTONThe particular machines which are now in use have passed the inspection of the Board of Trade. With regard to the question of any particular individual machine, that is for the inspector of weights and measures, and not for ourselves.