I2 4 



Parliamentary Publications. 



According to the returns furnished to the end of December, 

 1902, the total number of premises registered under this Section 

 is 2,930. 



In the early part of the year the Board instituted proceedings 

 under the Merchandise Marks Acts in the case of 21 fraudulent 

 sales of hams, the evidence in each case being furnished by the 

 Bacon Curers' Association of Great Britain and Ireland. In 

 connection with these proceedings 38 persons were prosecuted, 

 of whom 30 were convicted ; seven persons were acquitted, 

 and in one case, in which the principal and assistant were 

 charged, the assistant could not be traced. 



The returns received from District Agricultural Analysts 

 under the Fertilisers and Feeding Stuffs Act, 1893, show that 

 in 1902 samples were analysed in 65 counties and boroughs of 

 Great Britain, as against 60 in 1901, and 58 in 1900. There was 

 a considerable increase in the total number of samples analysed, 

 which amounted to 1,300, as compared with 1,068 in 1901, and 

 974 in 1900. 



In consequence of representations addressed to the Depart- 

 ment by the Biggleswade Trades and Agricultural Association 

 as to the serious effects of the Dutch competition on the brined 

 vegetable industry in this country, an enquiry was made by the 

 Intelligence Division of the Board into the conditions under 

 which the export trade in brined vegetables is carried on in the 

 Netherlands. The results of these investigations were presented 

 to both Houses of Parliament, and have been issued as a Parlia- 

 mentary publication. [Cd. 1368. Price 8d.] 



Numerous complaints have been addressed to the Board on 

 such subjects as excessive railway rates on agricultural produce ; 

 the rates charged for the carriage of rams in crates ; preferential 

 rates for imported produce ; and the application of the Weights 

 and Measures Acts to railway milk churns when used as 

 measures. Inquiries have been made by the Board in all these 

 cases, and representations have been made by them to the 

 Board of Trade or the railway companies concerned in instances 

 where such a course seemed desirable. 



Information interesting to agriculturists was disseminated by 

 means of special reports, the Journal, and leaflets. The total 

 number of leaflets issued in 1902 was about 398,900. 



