I beg to move amendment No. 29 :—

To delete paragraph (c).

This particular paragraph has a rather peculiar history. In connection with a number of those Bills, such as the Agricultural Produce Bills generally—the Eggs Bill, the Potato Bill, the Butter Bill and the Cereals Bill—there is a good lot of drafting of sections with an inclination to stick to a common form. This has particular reference to " the limit of weight for any one of such packages " and we do not think in this instance that it is necessary. It was necessary in the case of eggs. In that case we did not want an egg exporter to make up such a package as might take six men to lift. They might heave over such a heavy package and damage the eggs. The bacon curers stick to a common form and there is no necessity to make regulations with regard to the size of the package; it is absolutely unnecessary in this instance.

I beg to move amendment No. 30 :—

At the end of the section to insert a new sub-section as follows :—

(2) Regulations for the packing of bacon shall not apply to bacon packed in hermetically sealed containers.

When we come to Section 65 Deputies will fully realise the necessity for this amendment. We did not provide for tinned or canned hams. The export of canned hams is usually carried on by some trader or wholesaler, not by the bacon curer. We are amending the Bill so that bacon can be exported in hermetically sealed containers without being sent out from the licensed premises. This amendment is really preparing for the main amendment which will come on Section 65.

Would that have any bearing on the meat I was speaking of the other day—the fresh meat of the pig ?

No.

Could that not be used to make the material for the containers ?

If it is used for that purpose, for canning, this amendment will apply to it, but I think it is not usually used for that purpose, so far as I know.