ipio.j Report of the Commercial Control Branch. 221 



to cases of false description. For instance, the attention of 

 the Board was called to the practice which prevailed in Man- 

 chester of applying false trade descriptions to foreign poultry. 

 One of the Board's Inspectors, in conjunction with a farmer 

 resident in the neighbourhood of Manchester, visited the 

 market and purchased a goose to which a label was attached 

 bearing the words "Prime Fat Cheshire Geese," and a turkey 

 to which a label was attached bearing the words "Fine Fed 

 Norfolk Turkeys." These birds were pronounced by expert 

 poulterers to be foreign, and proceedings were instituted, as 

 a result of which the seller was fined ,£10 and costs. 



In another case, the Board instituted proceedings against 

 a trader in Cheshire for selling eggs to which a false trade 

 description had been applied. The evidence showed that a 

 box of eggs, with a card near it displaying the words "Finest 

 Irish Eggs, 12 for a shilling," in conspicuous lettering, had 

 been placed in a prominent position on the floor of the 

 defendant's shop, and that the eggs were, in fact, of foreign 

 origin. A fine of £1 is. with £2 3s. costs was imposed. 



In referring to questions of railway rates and facilities, 

 reference is made to the Board of Trade Conference, on which 

 the Board of Agriculture were represented. Two subjects 

 of special interest to agriculturists were dealt with at the Con- 

 ference, (1) the machinery for settling disputes between 

 companies and traders, and (2) owners' risk rates. In regard 

 to the latter, the Board have issued a Leaflet No. 1 10 detailing 

 the amendments which were agreed to. 



Complaints were made to the Board with regard to a notice 

 given by some of the Scottish Railway Companies as to the 

 conditions on which waggons would be supplied. A Confer- 

 ence was held by the Board of Trade between representatives 

 of the Scottish Railway Companies and Scottish traders, at 

 which the Board of Agriculture and Fisheries were repre- 

 sented. The Conference resulted in a modification of the 

 condition in question, and no further complaints were received 

 on this subject. 



A number of individual cases in regard to railway rates 

 were investigated, and also some miscellaneous inquiries, 

 including nineteen cases of alleged poisoning of farm stock 

 by feeding stuffs. Inquiry was made into each case, and 



