§ MR. STUART-WORTLEY (Sheffield, Hallam)I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade whether his attention has been called to the inconvenience resulting from the absence of arrangements for a gold assay at the Sheffield Assay Office; and whether ho will promote or assist whatever legislative or other measure may be required for the purpose of making it unnecessary for gold articles manufactured at Sheffield to be sent to 642 other towns in order that they may be assayed and hall-marked.
§ MR. RITCHIENo, Sir; my attention had not been called to this matter. Silver articles may be assayed in Sheffield, and I should have thought the manufacture of articles made of gold was comparatively very limited in that city. I cannot, of course, promise any legislation, but I can assure my right hon. friend that I shall be happy to give my best consideration to any evidence produced to prove that Sheffield is placed at a disadvantage in this respect.