§ 33. Mr. SNOWDENasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food if he has received a communication from the Darwen Co-operative Society pointing out the invidious position in which the society is placed in regard to supplies of live stock, and that this society is the largest dealer in meat in the town, having twenty-two shops, and supplying probably three-quarters of the whole population; that they have now been classed as retailers, and have to look to their supplies to comparatively small wholesalers, and that in consequence their trade is being strangled and that their customers are not supplied; and what steps he proposes to take in the matter?
§ Mr. JAMES PARKER (Lord of the Treasury)The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. It has been decided that the Retail Meat Departments of the Darwen Co-operative Society cannot be granted privileges which are not accorded to other retail butchers, but the suggestion that the society has therefore necessarily to look for its supplies to comparatively small wholesalers, and that its trade is in consequence being strangled is unfounded. The proper course for the society to adopt is to join the Retail Butchers' Association for the district, when it will receive an allocation of live stock and dead meat in proportion to the number of its registered customers.
35. Colonel THORNEasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the "Ministry of Food whether certain large traders in tea have stocks in excess of their requirements, whilst a number of co-operative stores find it impossible to obtain sufficient supplies, notwithstanding the increased allowance made to the Co-operative Wholesale Society recently, to supply co-operators with less than 1½ozs. of tea per unit per week, as ascertained by the units registered with them on the sugar-card indents; and, if so, whether steps will be taken to divert excessive supplies in certain traders' hands, in order to allow this deficiency to be made up?
§ Mr. PARKERCertain traders in tea have stocks in excess of their require- 517 merits, but the present method of distribution is about to be replaced by a system under which supplies will be allotted on the basis of registered customers. The Ministry of Food has no information that any co-operative stores find it impossible to obtain sufficient supplies after the recent allowance made to the co-operative wholesale societies. If any such cases are brought to the notice of the Ministry they will be investigated.