§ Mr. JOWETTasked the President of the Board of Trade if his attention has been called to the waste of food owing to delay in transit on the railways, which is indicated by the amount of food condemned for this reason by the food inspectors of municipal corporations, as, for instance, the condemnation by the food inspector of the Bradford Corporation during the six weeks ending 30th November last of seven and a-half tons of food rendered unfit for consumption owing to delayed transit; and if he will take the necessary steps to diminish the wastage of food from this cause?
Mr. ROBERTSI am confident that every effort is made by the railway companies to avoid delay in the transit of foodstuffs, and when regulation is necessary to avoid congestion, this traffic is given priority over all other classes of goods except Government traffic. Some delays cannot be avoided in existing circumstances, but the information in the possession of the Board of Trade does not lead them to think that any general and serious wastage of foodstuffs has been caused thereby. The matter will continue to be carefully watched.