§ MR. PATRICK O'BRIEN (Monaghan, N.)asked the Secretary to the Treasury whether he is aware that the Customs authorities at Liverpool recently seized a large consignment of Canadian apples, addressed to Messrs. L. Connolly and Co., one of the principal firms of fruit brokers in Great Britain, and refused to deliver same even on the production of the bills of lading issued at Port Hope, Ontario, for shipment per Grand Trunk Railway and Portland Maine, and thence per steamer to the port of Liverpool, until the day following that on which the fruit was sold, and then only on condition that the brand "Canadian Apples" was obliterated from the packages, with consequent injury to the commercial value of the goods; and, whether he can say if it was under the Trades Mark Act, or what other Statute the Customs authorities acted in this matter; and, if so, whether, considering the perishable nature of the goods and the necessity for prompt delivery in this trade, he will make such arrangements as will prevent the recurrence of such loss and inconvenience in future?
§ MR. JACKSONThe consignment in question arrived on February 26, and was detained by the Customs officers at Liverpool under Sections 16 1127 and 3 of the Merchandize Marks Act, 1887, and with reference to Sub-section 2 of Section 10 of that Act, the Board of Customs telegraphed permission to deliver the goods on obliteration of the marks, and the goods were released from detention on February 27. On the first instance, the collector received authority from the Board to allow delivery of future importations under similar circumstances without reference to them and without obliteration of the marks.