§ Sir OWEN PHILIPPSasked the Home Secretary whether his attention has been drawn to the fact that five farmers, namely, Mr. John Davies, Penyffordd; Mr. Thomas Partin, Padeswood; Mrs. Grace Jones, Pontblyddyn; Mr. Samuel Rostock, Hope; and Mr. Abraham Peters, Penyffordd, were recently summoned before the magistrates of Wallasey, Cheshire, for an alleged breach of the Price of Milk Order (S.R. and 0., Nos. 68 and 160), and were convicted and fined; that, owing to the expense in- 2024W volved, these farmers failed to appeal against the conviction; that when another batch of summonses against several farmers on exactly the same grounds came before the same bench of magistrates the hearing was adjourned pending inquiries of the Food Controller as to the meaning of the order issued by him; that when the hearing was resumed the bench intimated that, as a result of a communication received from the Food Controller, they could not convict, and thereupon dismissed the summonses; and whether, seeing that the farmers above named would appear to have been wrongly convicted, he will take action with a view to their convictions not being allowed to stand and the fines inflicted being withdrawn?
§ Sir G. CAVEI am in communication with the magistrates who heard these summonses, and will inform the hon. Member when I have received their Report and have come to a decision.