§ MR. KIMBER (Wandsworth)asked Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer, Whether, seeing that in the Revenue Act, 1884, certain Foreign-made silver plate was exempted from the obligation of compulsory hall-marking, Her Majesty's Government will consider the expediency, in the Revenue Act of 1886, of releasing the British watch-case trade from the like obligation, and permitting watch cases of gold or silver with metal domes to be hall-marked, as recommended by the Select Committee on Hall-marking (1878–9), and by Mr. Prideaux, Clerk of the Goldsmiths' Company, in his evidence and suggestions before that Committee?
THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF TRADE (Mr. MUNDELLA)(who replied) (Sheffield, Brightside)said: The hallmarking of watch cases is not a question which concerns the Revenue, as both gold and silver cases, although required to be assayed, are specially exempted from stamp duty. As regards compulsory hall-marking I can only refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on April 9. I have to-day received a second letter from the Clerk to the Goldsmiths' Company, denying the correctness of the interpretation placed by the hon. Member upon the evidence given before the Select Committee by Mr. Prideaux.