§ MR. MACDONA (Southwark, Rotherhithe)I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that the steamship Cordelia, owned by Messrs. Kilner and Sons, of Portmadoe, has recently arrived in the Thames from Hamburg, and is now discharging into barges at Kings Stairs, Rotherhithe, several tons of bottles made by Lewn and Newmann of Hamburg, consigned to R. White, London; and that these bottles have no name or mark upon them indicating their foreign origin; and what steps do the Government propose taking to put a stop to this breach of the law?
§ MR. BURT (who replied)said: The Board of Trade are informed by the Commissioners of Customs that the bottles imported in the Cordelia did not bear marks coming within the operation of the Merchandise Marks Act. There has, therefore, been no breach of the law.
§ MR. MACDONAI ought to have mentioned in the question that the name "R. White" is stamped on the bottles in 1273 addition to the words "one farthing deposit charged."
§ MR. BURTsaid, that he understood it would only be illegal to represent that the articles had been manufactured in England. If the hon. Member desired further information he could put another question on a future day.
§ COLONEL HOWARD VINCENTWill the hon. Gentleman inquire into the importation of these foreign bottles and the subsequent stamping of English words on them, conveying by implication that the bottles have been manufactured in England?