§ MR. KIMBER (Wandsworth)asked the President of the Board of Trade, Whether it is a fact that watch-cases with metal domes are not permitted to be made in the United Kingdom, because such cases cannot be hall-marked, although watches in cases with metal domes are allowed to be imported into this Country from abroad; and, whether Her Majesty's Government will undertake to provide a remedy to the disadvantage thereby inflicted on British workmen, as recommended by the Select Committee on Hall-marking 1878.9, and by Mr. Prideaux, Clerk of the Goldsmith's Company, in his evidence before that Committee, by allowing watch-cases with 1169 metal domes to be hall-marked, and by making the hall-marking of watch-cases a voluntary institution.
§ THE PRESIDENT (Mr. MUNDELLA) (Sheffield, Brightside)The hon. Member correctly describes in the first part of his Question the existing state of things, which it would be desirable to remedy whenever practicable. In the state of Public Business I cannot hold out much hope of legislation during the present Session on the question of hallmarking. I may add that the Clerk to the Goldsmiths' Company has written to the Board of Trade demurring to the correctness of the interpretation placed by the hon. Member upon the evidence given before the Select Committee by Mr. Prideaux.