§ Mr. SITCHasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Agriculture whether his attention has been drawn to the last Report issued by the chemical department of his Board, wherein certain feeding stuffs, fertilisers, and other materials required in agriculture have been proved on analysis by Dr. J. A. Voelcker to be more or less valueless for the purpose they are advertised and sold to serve, and that in one instance alone the cost was more than four times what the material was worth; and whether, assuming the duty of the Board to be the protection of those engaged in agriculture, he proposes to allow the sale of these deceptive materials to continue without warning purchasers against them, thereby exposing the farming interest to fraud and the grave risk of diminution in the quantity and quality of the products of their industry?
Sir A. BOSCAWENThere is no Report issued by the Board of Agriculture of the kind referred to by the hon. Member. The results of analyses made by Dr. Voelcker of certain feeding stuffs and fertilisers are published annually in the Journal of the Royal Agricultural Society of England. Protection against fraudulent sales of fertilisers and feeding stuffs is provided by the Fertilisers and Feeding Stuffs Act of 1906. Under this Act, sellers are required to give a description of these materials where necessary, indicating their agricultural value. A false description to the prejudice of the purchaser constitutes an offence under the Act. The Board are now considering to what extent the Act should be amended with a view to giving greater protection to the farmer. The Board have repeatedly warned users of manures against the purchase of inferior or worthless articles at excessive prices, and have published a leaflet on the subject, a copy of which I am send-536W ing to the hon. Member. Prices of fertilisers are not controlled by law; prices and distribution of feeding stuffs continue for the present under the administration of the Food Controller.