§ 28. Mr. R. McNEILLasked the President of the Board of Trade if his attention has been called to recent proceedings at the Penrith Police Court when three women were convicted of stealing wood valued at 2s., the property of the Controller of the Board of Trade Timber Supply, and were condemned to pay 5s. each for the costs of the prosecution; whether the wood stolen consisted of shavings and other waste resulting from the operations of the Canadian Forestry Corps in felling timber on Penrith Beacon; and whether, in view of the fact that according to their terms of employment the corps were under obligation to clear away this waste, and would have burnt it if it had not been taken away, he will give immediate instructions that poor persons in the neighbourhood of the beacon shall be allowed to take such waste for fuel, and will make Regulations enabling this to be done without risk of injury or loss of timber of value?
§ The PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY to the BOARD of TRADE (Mr. Wardle)In the case referred to the wood was not waste which would have been burnt, but fuel wood intended for sale stolen from the Canadian sawmill. Permission was at first given to poor persons to remove waste wood and brush at Penrith, which would otherwise have been burnt, but the permission had to be cancelled because it was abused. The Controller of Timber Supplies would be pleased to give my hon. Friend full information in any such case.