HC Deb 17 July 1916 vol 84 cc650-1
13. Mr. W. THORNE

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that certain firms in the Smithfield Market evade his maximum price for frozen lambs by the device of chopping the lamb into two and selling it as pairs of hindquarters and pairs of forequarters, for which they charge full economic values; that many were so sold last week and the previous week by a firm named Sam Matthews and Company; and will he state the total amount of lambs sold by his agents to this firm for the last three weeks?

The FIRST COMMISSIONER of WORKS (Mr. Harcourt)

I am not aware that any firms adopt "the device of choping the lamb in two and selling it in pairs of hindquarters and pairs of forequarters " for the purpose of evading the Board of Trade Regulations. Messrs. Sam Matthews and Son state that they do not carry on such a trade but that, at the urgent request of certain of their customers, they do cut up into joints about one-quarter of the carcases which they sell. While the better joints are sold above the Board of Trade price the cheaper joints are sold well below that figure, and from the information supplied to me it appears that the proceeds of a carcase so cut up are but little above what would be received for the carcase sold as a whole. Messrs. Sam Matthews and Son are now receiving only about one-fifth of their normal supplies of lambs.

14. Mr. THORNE

asked how many tons of the consignment of New Zealand beef which was stored in the premises of the Compania Sansenina de Carnes Congeladas, Long Lane, Smithfield, and delivered about the first week in June were seized and condemned; what boat brought the beef here and when was it discharged; was any note or comment as to its condition made by the Compania Sansenina's officials when the meat was received into their store, and, if so, what was the nature of the note or remark; has any Report been received from the City of London Corporation's officials on the seizure; and, if so, what does that Report state?

Mr. HARCOURT

Certain information was given to my hon. Friend on the 22nd June last in answer to questions about this meat, and I do not think I can usefully add to it.