§ Mr. FIELDasked the First Lord of the Treasury whether he is aware that all gambling operations have been condemned by various international cotton congresses and likewise by the Lancashire Federation of Cotton Spinners and Manufacture's to be the fundamental causes of ruin to the world's, and to the Lancashire cotton, industries, besides being the origin of short time, lock-outs, etc., to the workpeople; and whether he will state the views of the Government on this incident, in addition to the gambling questions in finance and trade in general?
Mr. ROBERTSONI am aware that abuses may arise in connection with speculative dealings in produce, but there are great difficulties in framing a measure which would suppress these abuses without damaging the interests of legitimate trade. So far as I know, no demand for legislation in this matter has reached His Majesty's Government from any responsible body representing the interests of any considerable section of the cotton trade.