BARON F. DEROTHSCHILD (Bucks, Aylesbury)I beg to ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether his attention has been called to an evasion of the law requiring dealers in gold and silver watches, plate, and jewellery to take out a licence by large firms in London, Manchester, Birmingham, and Liverpool appointing unlicensed agents to form watch, plate, and jewellery clubs; whether he is aware that there are upwards of 20,000 of these so-called agents trading at the present time without any licence in about 1,600 towns and large villages in the United Kingdom, but who bonâ fide sell gold and silver watches, plate, 608 and jewellery; and whether he is aware that Government servants, such as Post Office officials, are working these so-called agencies, and receiving promissory notes in part payment from the subordinate officials in the Post Office; and, if such is the case, whether he would take steps to have the law carried out?
§ THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER (Sir W. HARCOURT,) DerbyI have had within the last few days my attention called to this matter. The practice complained of seems to me unsatisfactory. I will cause inquiries to be made with a view to put a stop to it.
§ MR. J. ROWLANDSWill the right hon. Gentleman consider the advisability of granting a Committee to deal with the whole question of the application of the plate licence in its effect on the retail trade?