IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

Evening Star, Issue 12765, 19 March 1906, Page 7

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

Vtm Association— Bjr Telegraph—Copyright. A PDItE BEER BILL. LONDON, March 17. The Pure Beer Bill, which raroired a publican to supply beer containing 85 per cent* of barley malt, was negatived in the EPoueb of Commons by 164 votes to 103. The clauses of the Bill we're considered unworkable. The question of pure beer has been much discussed since the numerous coses of arsenical beer poisoning. The Royal Commission, in their final report (dated November 6, 1903). definitely stated that it was not desirable to fix any standard of arsenic permissible in beers, as " allowance hflß to be made fdr the possibility of other small quantities of arsenic being received at the same tilno from more than one sour:© of food and drihk, and susceptible people have to be considered." Dr Collingbridge, Medical Officer of Health to the City of l/biidoti, in a recent report says, in reference to tho Hoy.il Commission's report: ''lfc was, however, generally understood that while it may be possible to produce beers absolutely 'arsenio free,' the majority, -when brewed mainly or entirely from malt and hops, will contain minute traces, which will, however, be below the amount likely to. produce any harmful effects. In two cases the brewers of the samples secured were identified; in the third case they could only be assumed, as the public-house was "free," and obtained its supplies from various sources. The several makers were at once communicated "with, and were found to be fully alive to the importance of taking the utmost precautions. All the details of their processes of manufacture, and tho systems of safeguarding tho public by the constant examination of all materials as -weh as the finished article, were explained by the chemical experts advtsing the brewer in each case. From careful consideration it would seem that no steps are omitted to render the beer practically 'arsenic free-' and that, unless possibly in the case of very susceptible persons, n0,,, real danger can arise. Further samples were taken from time to time in order to check the value of the above system. It must, liowever, be borne in mind that next to glucorc, which in view of the serious outbreak of poisoning in 1900 is now scarcely likely to avoid the most careful the "two materials most likely to account for tho presence of traces of arsenic in beer are malt md hops, and in proportion as the public insist on the solo or increased use of theso m the manufacture, so docs the danger of arsenic increase. 'Malt and hops' beer is not necessarily a synonym for "pure' beer." A MEMBER RESIGNS. LONDON, March 17 Mr Henry Broadhurst, Liberal member for Leicester, has resigned his seat in the House of Commons owing to a recurrence of his former illness.