§ Mr. STEPHEN MITCHELLasked the Secretary for Scotland if he is aware that great damage has been done in the Clyde Valley in the strawberry fields by a disease commonly known as the patch disease; that many people are now out of employment owing to large areas of this crop having been destroyed; that many growers have incurred great loss of capital; and will he take steps to arrange that the Scottish Board of Agriculture will carry out immediate and energetic investigation of this disease, which has been prevalent for the last three years?
§ Sir J. GILMOURI am aware that considerable damage involving financial loss has been caused by strawberry disease in the Clyde Valley and elsewhere in Scotland. I have no information as to the amount of unemployment attributable to such disease, but I recognise that destruction of crops commonly causes a diminution in employment. The Board of Agriculture for Scotland have arranged for a survey in connection with the disease to be carried out by the West of Scotland Agricultural College. The survey is now in progress, and the investigator is keeping in touch with similar work which is being done in England.
Countries whence consigned. Platinum—Unrefined. Platinum—Refined. 1924 January, 1925 to June, 1925. 1924. January, 1925 to June, 1925. Ozs. Ozs. Ozs. Ozs. troy. £ troy. £ troy. £ troy. £ Russia … — — 48,678 950,000 32,124 808,150 33,531 720,900 Latvia … 362 9,123 — — — — — — Netherlands … 62 1,113 37 817 42 987 — — Belgium … 34 871 20 455 29 419 — — France … 2,474 63,931 434 10,328 2,690 71,537 1,685 42,876 Switzerland … 57 1,484 — — — — — — Spain … 162 3,180 40 833 16 375 — — Italy … 664 16,444 223 4,946 21 585 — — United States … 2,897 60,270 2,026 46,183 — — — — Cuba … 200 3,950 — — — — — — Colombia … 2,775 49,659 900 15,810 — — 4 92 Uruguay … — — 40 971 — — — — Argentina … — — 39 917 — — — — Union of South Africa … 9 231 — — — — — — Australia … 71 1,795 — — — — — — New Zealand … 5 120 7 156 — — — — Canada … 22 635 24 593 1 30 — — Other Countries … 5 95 2 74 — — — — Total … 9,799 212,901 52,470 1,032,083 134,923 882,083 35,220 763,868