§ Captain BARNETTasked the Food Controller (1) what amount has been paid by the Government to the wholesale association at Smithfield Market; what proportion of that amount was due to bad grading and to over-estimating the weight 245W of live cattle and sheep; and what steps, if any, have been taken to recover from farmers the excess sums which have been paid to them on these accounts; (2) what precautions are taken to ensure that butchers shall receive full weight on their live-stock permits; and whether any reason exists why competent persons should not be authorised to supervise the weighing of cattle and sheep in butchers' slaughterhouses and to decide in cases where the live-weight is questioned; and (3) how many markets for live-stock there are in England and Wales; whether, apart from the seaports on the St. George's Channel, there are less than twenty supervisors of grading for the whole of England and Wales; whether an application has been made for the appointment of thirty additional supervisors; and whether he will consider the desirability of making such appointments, with a view to reducing the losses now incurred through inefficient grading of live-stock?
§ Major ASTORPayments to the wholesale association at Smithfield Market amount to £17,353 5s. 4d. For the months of January and February grading losses averaged roughly £6,500 a month, but this charge has shown a satisfactory decline, although the precise figures are not yet obtainable. It is not proposed either to recover from the farmers any excess which they may have received, or to refund to thorn any loss which they may have incurred. The effectual remedy, apart from the extension of sale by dead weight, is to improve the grading. At present grading is carried on in the 725 live-stock markets of Great Britain by committees composed of a farmer, a butcher, and the Government agent, who is usually a live-stock auctioneer. The work of the committees is checked by twenty official supervisors, and it is proposed to add to their number. Experience has shown, however, that the judgment of even an admitted expert gives less satisfaction than the decision of a committee on which each interest is represented.