§ Mr. RATCLIFFEasked the President of the Board of Trade, if his attention has been called to the provisional purchase by Messrs. Vestey Brothers, meat importers, of the whole of the shares in Eastmans, Limited, retail meat distributors in this country; and, as this appears to be the first move on the part of the American importers of meat to get control of the retail meat trade of this country, as they have had for some years in the United States and are now having the attention of the law officers of the federal government with the object of breaking their monopoly in the States, if he is prepared to take such action as will prevent a similar state of affairs obtaining in this country to the injury of the consumers of meat?
§ Sir R. HORNEI have seen references in the newspapers to this proposed purchase. Messrs. Vestey Brothers, so far as I am aware, have no connection with any American Meat Company. The Second part of the question does not therefore arise.