§ Mr. C. BATHURSTasked whether, in view of the fact that under Section 1 (2) of the Fertilisers and Feeding Stuffs Act, 1906, every person who sells for use as food for cattle any article which has been artificially prepared is bound to give to the purchaser an invoice stating what are the respective percentages, if any, of oil and albuminoids contained in such article, and that Section 6 (1) (a) of the same Act makes it an offence to fail to give the invoice required thereby, neglect to state in an invoice, as in the case of Bastol, as high a proportion of oil as 1 per cent. and of albuminoids as 1.93 per cent., is deemed by the Board to be no offence under the Act; and, if so, for what reason?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANIn the cases in which an analysis of Bastol has either been submitted to or obtained by the Board, the percentages of oil and albuminoids were 1030 considerably less than those stated in the hon. Member's question, and it did not appear that they had any feeding value. No useful purpose would have been served by the institution of proceedings for neglect to include particulars of those percentages in the invoice.
§ Mr. C. BATHURSTIs it not a fact, on the right hon. Gentleman's own admission, that his own Department in respect of this Act are contravening its express provisions?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANNo; I certainly could not admit it. In fact, there is no weight in the argument.