COLONEL SYKESsaid, he would beg, in the absence of his hon. Friend (Mr. Ewart), to ask the Vice President of the Board of Trade, What steps Her Majesty's Government are prepared to take with reference to the Recommendations of the International Monetary Conference and the Conference on International Weights, Measures, and Coins held at Paris in June last; and, whether they are prepared to bring in a measure to amend the Metric Weights and Measures Act of 1864, with a view to provide for the verification and stamping of Metric Weights and Measures legalized by that Act; also for the maintenance of Metric Standards in the Department of the Warden of the Standards?
§ MR. STEPHEN CAVEMr. Speaker—The Conference convoked by the French Government was attended by representatives from nearly twenty States. The Master of the Mint and Mr. Rivers Wilson, from the Treasury, attended on behalf 602 of England rather to watch proceedings than to take any active part. The object of the French Government was to give greater extension to the principle of unification of coinage, which had already been established by the Convention of 1865 between Belgium, France, Italy, and Switzerland. Certain abstract propositions were made and discussed and certain Resolutions passed for the purpose of forming a basis of what might become an international system. The French Government, through Prince Napoleon, the President of the Conference, pressed the Commissioners to urge their Governments not to shelve the question, but to institute inquiries, and to name a day upon which they would state their decision, in order that further steps might be taken; and I believe that formal invitations to this effect have been sent to the different Governments. The representatives sent on the part of Her Majesty's Government have made a Report of the proceedings of the Conference, which is under the consideration of the Government, who will doubtless decide whether they will respond to the invitation by advising a Royal Commission or referring the matter to a Select Committee. I am unable to state at present what course will be taken. With regard to the latter part of the question, it would be obviously premature to attempt legislation on weights and measures, pending the Report of the Commission which was re-appointed last year.