§ *MR. T. H. BOLTON (St. Pancras, N.)I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade what the Government propose to do with regard to the Report of the Select Committee of last Session on the Patent Agents Bills?
§ THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF TRADE (Mr. J. BRYCE,) Aberdeen, S.The Select Committee of last Session appeared to consider that proper opportunity should be given for some such Bill as that which they reported 1422 last Session to be passed at the instance of a private Member, and the Board of Trade, therefore, propose to await for the present such action by some private Member.
§ *MR. T. H. BOLTONMay I ask the right hon. Gentleman whether the conduct of those who at present control the register of patent agents has not been so unsatisfactory recently that the Board of Trade have had to interfere to correct their arbitrary conduct; and having regard to that, whether he has considered the propriety of giving effect to another recommendation of the Committee that the Board of Trade should take the register of patent agents into their own hands, and appoint a registrar?
§ MR. J. BRYCEThe register is not satisfactorily conducted, but it does not follow that this matter should be undertaken by a Public Department, and, as at present advised, I am inclined to doubt the desirability of that course.