§ 69. Captain Sir CHARLES BATHURSTasked the President of the Board of Trade whether, in view of the assistance which the newspaper Press, including the weekly provincial newspapers, have given and are giving to the Government during the War, especially in making clear the true aims of the War and in promoting the patriotic activities of farmers and allotment holders, which assistance will be forthcoming as long as and in proportion as facilities for publication exit, he will take steps to secure that, in the national interest, the supply of paper to newspapers, including the weekly provincial papers, shall rank next in priority after Government requirements have been met; that sufficient quantities of paper or paper material be reserved and allotted for distribution amongst established newspapers before the stocks in the country are depleted for other and less urgent publications and purposes; and that, especially, the unnecessary packing in paper of tradesmen's parcels be prohibited and discontinued before the reasonable requirements of British journalism be unduly curtailed?
Sir A. STANLEYThe Paper Commission, under instructions from the Board of Trade, is at the present time framing Regulations to govern the importation and distribution of paper and paper-making materials for the year commencing 1st March, 1918. The Government fully realise the importance of the considerations raised in the question, and will do their best to give effect to them.
§ Sir C. BATHURSTcan the right hon. Gentleman see his way, in order to save tonnage for food, to induce the public to forego the wrapping-up in parcel of purchases from tradesmen, when the contents and the weather permit it?
Sir A. STANLEYSteps have already been taken in that direction, and I will see if anything more can be done.
§ Mr. SNOWDENIn view of the increasing difficulties of the newspapers getting a supply of paper, will the right hon. Gentleman consider the advisability of prohibiting newspapers from utilising one-half of their space for useless advertisements?
Sir A. STANLEYI do not think I can agree that they do utilise a half of their space for unnecessary advertisements, but I will bear that point in mind.
§ Mr. PRINGLEIs the right hon. Gentleman not aware that these advertisements-are actually decreasing the revenue of the country in respect of excess profits?
§ Mr. PRINGLEIt is so.
§ Sir C. HOBHOUSEIs the right lion Gentleman aware that one firm, two days ago, occupied the whole of one side of the penny newspapers with a single advertisement of its system of memorising—one single firm?