§ 92. Mr. ATKEYasked the Food Controller whether he is aware that there are three boxes of bacon, ex Cardiff, invoiced by Speare Brothers and Clarke, Victoria Street, Bristol, to Mr. F. Goodliffe, of Nottingham, of which two boxes were delivered on 13th June and one box on 17th June, and a further three boxes of bacon invoiced by the same firm, 27th 898 May, ex Cardiff, which are not yet delivered; that there is not only a risk of deterioration, but it means purchasing at higher prices on the open market to supply shopkeepers who are depending upon Mr. Goodliffe for supplies; that eight boxes of lard, invoiced by G. and J.Nickson, 25, Victoria Street, Liverpool, on 27th May, ex Leith, were not delivered until 8th July; and that eight cases of crab, invoiced by Peek Brothers and Winch on 10th May, were not delivered until 7th July, a delay of six weeks; and will he ascertain whether these delays are due to the adoption by the railway companies of an allocation system in respect of which loss is being sustained by Nottingham traders?
Mr. ROBERTSI have caused inquiry to be made into the various cases referred to by the Hon. Member and I am informed that, apart from one instance in which a clerical error at Cardiff led to a misunderstanding, the various consignments were subject to no unreasonable delay in the course of transit. I would add that the invoice date is frequently misleading in this connection, and that the boxes of lard referred to in the third part were invoiced on 27th May, but were not tendered to the railway company until 26th June. In reply to the last part, I am advised that the policy of allocating traffic to particular routes was adopted with a view to facilitating transit and that, generally speaking, it has had the desired effect.