§ Mr. GRETTONI ask leave to introduce a Bill "to prohibit the use of hop substitutes and to provide for the marking of imported hops."
It will he within the recollection of the Members of the last House of Commons 1261 that the Hops Committee sat and inquired into the state of the hop industry, and it was generally agreed amongst all those connected with the hop trade that this question ought to be the subject of legislation. The prohibition of the use of hop substitutes and the marking of imported hops were the two main points considered. Bills dealing with this subject have been in the hands of private Members, with the result that they have not had an opportunity of passing into law because they have not been fortunate in the ballot. It is well known that a very small amount of opposition suffices to kill these measures. Last year in another place a Bill was introduced by Lord Carrington, and it was very fully discussed. May I point out that the Clause which provided for the prohibition of hop substitutes was agreed to by the House of Lords and by the Government itself, but the Bill was withdrawn because there was opposition on the ground that the measure went further than was intended and infringed the principles of Free frade. The promoters of this Bill have never desired that it should prevent the importation of foreign hops; all they wish is that it should be effective to prevent fraud. In bringing forward this measure I am fortified by two facts: The Bill as it is now drafted has been unanimously agreed to by the hop growers themselves; by the Hop Trades Association, which represents all those people who deal in hops either as merchants or factors; and there is not the smallest detail in regard to this question upon which we have not obtained the support of everybody interested. Therefore I think the House should have an opportunity of passing this Bill, all the more so because the time is very urgent and very short. Of course, some notice must be given to the foreign hop trade of the new conditions which are proposed under this Bill. We propose that this measure should come into force on 1st January next. Manifestly it will be impossible in the forthcoming Autumn Session to get this Bill through, and at the same time give adequate notice to foreign dealers if the measure is to take effect on 1st January next. If the Bill is postponed until November it will mean postponing its operation for another twelve months. Under these circumstances I think the House should have an opportunity of passing this Bill. After long negotiations and careful inquiry, we learn that the Government is not prepared to legislate on this subject this 1262 year. For these reasons we ask the support of the House, and I think all hon. Members will agree when they see this measure in print that it does not in any way infringe the principles of Free Trade, and it does not go any further than the existing Merchandise Marks Act. The Bill has been most carefully drawn to ensure that foreign importers will be able to comply with it. It will prevent fraud in the importation of foreign bops, and will not in any way go beyond that. For these reasons I ask the leave of the House to be allowed to introduce this Bill.
Question, "That the Bill be now read the first time," put, and agreed to.
Bill ordered to be brought in by Mr. Gretton, Mr. Courthope, Mr. Akers-Douglas, Mr. Laurence Hardy, Sir William Collins, Mr. George Younger, Mr. Arkwright, Colonel Warde, Captain Spender Clay, Mr. Wheler, Captain Clive, and Colonel Hall Walker. Presented accordingly, and read the first time; to be read a second time upon Friday.