§ 43. Major Procterasked the Minister of Agriculture whether, in view of the opinion expressed by the registrar at the King's Lynn Bankruptcy Court on the action of the Milk Marketing Board in stopping a dairyman's supplies for being a few days late with his cheques, he proposes to request that board to review their methods of dealing with such cases with a view to ensuring that the marketing schemes as a whole are not pre judiced?
§ Sir R. Dorman-SmithI am informed by the Milk Marketing Board that the board's action in stopping this dairyman's supplies after due warning was in accordance with the contract entered into by the dairyman, who could have avoided such action by observing the terms of the contract after he had been requested to do so. The responsibility for administering the Milk Marketing Scheme rests with the board, and I am unable to direct the 980 board in the exercise of its powers, save in accordance with Section 9 of the Agricultural Marketing Act, 1931.
§ Major ProcterWill the right hon. Gentleman recommend to the Milk Marketing Board that they should treat these men less harshly and give them more of the milk of human kindness?
§ Sir R. Dorman-SmithI have said that I have no power to make such a recommendation to the board, but I would point out that the board did give this dairyman no fewer than four warnings.