§ SIR GEORGE CAMPBELLasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the complaints of the Trades Union Congress that, of late years, from 50 to 200 per cent of sizing is introduced into cotton goods for the Eastern Markets to give them a fictitious weight and appearance, and that the process also injures the health of the operatives, Whether he has accepted the conclusions of the Report that the Eastern consumer prefers frequent renewal of cheaper clothing to longer use of a more genuine article, that regrets are unavailing, and that the only remedy is to facilitate the process by ventilation and improved arrangements for heavy sizing; and, whether the officers who made the inquiry before coming to their conclusions examined any, and what, Eastern "consumers," or whether they were content with the assurance of the manufacturers that the Eastern middlemen-dealers have become so far demoralized as to distribute fictitious goods which can be passed off on ignorant consumers for the genuine article?
§ SIR WILLIAM HARCOURTSir, a Commission appointed by the Home Office had made inquiries as to the over-sizing of cotton goods, but they 1853 had done this solely in a sanitary and not in a commercial point of view, the health of the operatives being the only matter of which, in reference to this matter, the Home Office could take cognizance. He was happy to say that the inquiry had already had a good result in the point of view to which it was directed; and he hoped that still further good results would follow. If the hon. Gentleman wanted information as to the commercial aspects of the subject, he must address his inquiry to the President of the Board of Trade.