§ MR. CAWLEY (Lancashire, S.E., Prestwich)I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade whether his attention has been directed to the observations of Mr. Justice Romer, in the case "In re the Registered Trade Marks No. 27,850 and No. 72,790 of John Batt and Company," reported in the Times of 23rd April, from which it appears that a system of trafficking in trade marks is carried on by persons who register trade marks for the purpose of obtaining money from subsequent persons who may wish to use similar marks for bonâ fide purposes; and whether he will consider the advisability of strengthening the law, with a view to preventing such an abuse of the provisions with respect to the registration of trade marks?
§ THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF TRADE (Mr. C. T. RITCHIE,) CroydonMy attention has been called to the case referred to and to the observations of the learned judge. I am certainly of opinion that trafficking in trade marks, which are not bonâ fide marks, is open to objection, but I am advised that adequate remedy is probably afforded by the 90th Section of the Patents, Designs, and Trade Marks Act, 1883, which enable any person aggrieved to apply for the removal of any entry from the register.