HC Deb 17 February 1890 vol 341 cc421-2
MR. HOWARD VINCENT (Sheffield, Central)

I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade if the attention of the Government has been directed to the recent Report of the Commissioners of Her Majesty's Customs, which, speaking of "The Merchandise Marks Act, 1887," says:— As the result of our experience we are of opinion that in many trades a considerable improvement has taken place in the marking of goods imported into this country, and generally the tendency is to mark the goods in a more truthful manner. On the other hand we notice that large quantities of goods are imported without any marks at all, and it is probable that labels bearing false trade descriptions are placed on many goods after they have passed from the hands of our officers. Indeed, quantities of labels and tickets imported separately have been detained as evidently intended to be placed on goods for sale in this country. Trade descriptions in the English language, which do not include the name or trade mark of a British trader or a place in the United Kingdom, are not illegal when truthfully applied to goods imported from an English-speaking country. In consequence of the state of the law, large quantities of goods are imported from America (often in transit) bearing English wording, such as steel goods marked 'Warranted best cutlery,' &c., and there is nothing to distinguish them on the home or foreign market from English made goods. This appears to give goods made out of the United Kingdom, and in most cases not even in an English dependency, an advantage over other foreign made goods which may not have been intended by those who framed the Act. And, having regard to the injury inflicted upon the artisans of the United Kingdom by this defect in the law, if Her Majesty's Government will move the appointment of a Select Committee to consider how it may be most speedily and effectually remedied, and also to examine the three Bills introduced for the amendment of the Act in question?

THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF TRADE (Sir M. HICKS BEACH,) Bristol, W.

I have seen the Report referred to, and my attention has been directed to the concluding paragraph of the extract quoted. It is possible that advantage would follow if a Select Committee were to consider the objection pointed out and other matters in connection with the administration of the Act, especially the costs of prosecutions there under, which have been brought under my notice. If the hon. Member, after conferring with me as to the terms of reference, should decide to move the appointment of such a Select Committee, I should not be disposed to object to the Motion; but I cannot accept the principle of the measure introduced by him which is down for consideration to-night.