§ MR. STUART-WORTLEYI beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade, whether, in view of the statements on page 28 of Mr. Rennell Rodd's recent Report [C. 7920 12] as to the forgery of trade marks and the use of false trade descriptions in the sale of goods by Austrian, Italian, and Belgian traders in Egyptian markets, and the great injury thereby done to the reputation of British products and the legitimate interests of British traders, he will use his best efforts to bring about an early reassembling of the Conference of the International Union for the Protection of Industrial Property and the Repression of False Trade Descriptions; whether Italy and Belgium are members of that Union; whether Austria has as yet been persuaded to accede to the Union; and, whether the Egyptian Government has ever acceded or been invited to accede to the Union; if not, whether he will endeavour to cause Austria and Egypt so to accede, with a view to their being represented at the earliest Conference that may be assembled on Industrial Property and the Repression of False Trade Descriptions?
§ THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF TRADE (Mr. C. T. RITCHIE,) CroydonThe initiative in convening the next Conference lies with the Belgian Government, assisted by the Central Office of the Union at Berne. I am not prepared to urge that a meeting should take place before the Belgian Government have made the necessary preparations and suggested a date. Italy and Belgium are original members of the Union, but Austria has not yet acceded, and it is doubtful whether representations could usefully be made to her to do so. There have been found to be difficulties in the way of Egypt becoming a party to the Union. It is open to countries which have not become members to be represented at the conferences by official delegates, who, however, have no power of voting.