§ Mr. GODFREY BARINGasked the President of the Local Government Board whether, having regard to the passage in the Report of Dr. Buchanan on the work in relation to the Sale of Food and Drugs Acts, contained in a supplement to the Thirty-seventh Annual Report of the Board, 1907–8, he will be prepared to sanction the appointment of Mr. E. W. Pollard, of Ryde, as public analyst for the administrative county of the Isle of Wight; and, if not, will he state the objections to the confirmation of such appointment?
§ Mr. BURNSThe Local Government Board have objected to Mr. Pollard's appointment, firstly, on the ground of his being engaged in a trade or business connected with the sale of drugs in the county, and secondly, because they are not satisfied of his competent skill in and knowledge of analytical chemistry. A proposal has been made to meet the first objection; but this does not touch the second, and in the circumstances I do not feel able to approve of the appointment. The objections are in no way affected by the passage referred to in Dr. Buchanan's Report.