Dr. MURRAYasked the President of the Board of Trade where his Department obtained the menthol which they state is purer than the ordinary imported menthol and which is the basis of the addition of the letter R in the Board of Trade list which defines the Key Industries Schedule; whether this menthol so obtained was a commercial article before objection was lodged to the inclusion of menthol in the list; and whether, in fact, it is a commercial article at all?
§ Mr. BALDWINA re-crystallised menthol of substantially better quality than the Japanese menthol ordinarily imported has been prepared in Germany by a well-known firm, and was listed as "Menthol pure in crystals" in their English catalogue as long ago as 1911. I am informed that during recent years at least one English firm has been re-crystallising menthol, and selling small quantities.
Dr. MURRAYasked the President of the Board of Trade whether, in view of the decision given by the Lord Chancellor's referee on 10th December in respect of santonine and of the grounds given for 300W that decision which affect by implication a large number of commodities contained in the list published by the Board of Trade under the Key Industries Schedule of the Safeguarding of Industries Act, he will be prepared to extend beyond 7th January, 1922, the date up to which objections to the list may be lodged, at any rate, until he has officially announced the scope of the action which he intends to take as a result of the decision given, especially as regards all those natural substances which are so closely related to santonine as to be governed by exactly the same principles, e.g., salicin, menthol, mannite, lactose, eserine, etc.?
§ Mr. BALDWINNo, Sir. I am not prepared at present to undertake to extend the period during which complaints may be lodged which the Board must refer to the referee; but should the principles on which the decision mentioned was based be maintained, the list will, of course, be revised accordingly, and I shall be prepared to consider at any time any representations which may be made to me in that regard.