§ 61. Mr. Goochasked the Minister of Agriculture whether he is aware that the sale of unsatisfactory and in many cases worthless fertilisers has reached such proportions as not only to defraud the public, but also to imperil the production of home grown food; and whether he will remove the present inability of the authorities under the Fertilisers and Feeding Stuffs Act, 1926, by taking immediate steps to secure that the existing statutory power to institute criminal proceedings upon samples taken on manufacturers' premises is extended to samples taken on the premises of put ċhasers.
§ Mr. T. Williams:I have no evidence that there has been any marked increase in the quantity of unsatisfactory fertilisers offered for sale to farmers, but if my hon. Friend will let me have any information in his possession supporting his allegation I shall have inquiries made. With regard to the second part of his Question I can give no undertaking that 112W legislation amending the Fertilisers and Feeding Stuffs Act, 1926, will be introduced in the near future.