§ MR. ALBAN GIBBS (London)To ask Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that the diminution in the duty payments on cheap foreign wines is partly caused by the manufacture, free of duty, in this country of wine from dried currants and raisins, which manufacture is blended with the cheap classes of imported wines, and that such mixtures are almost invariably sold under the designation of some foreign wine; and, if so, whether he proposes to take any steps to protect the Revenue and safeguard the public from this species of fraud.
(Answered by Mr. Austen Chamberlain.) I am aware that allegations have been made in the sense of the Question, but the information at present at my disposal is not sufficient to enable me to determine what measure of truth may be contained in them. I am, however, satisfied that a case for inquiry exists, and I propose in the course of the autumn to institute further investigation of the subject, and, if necessary, to consider whether measures are required for the protection of the Revenue. As regards protection of the public from fraud, it is open to any purchaser who may be defrauded by a false trade description to take proceedings under the Merchandise Marks Acts; and, for this purpose, members of the trade are really in as good a position to take 1197 action as any public Department, though, for both, the difficulties in the way of establishing proof of an offence are great.