§ MR. FLYNNOn behalf of the hon. Member for the Tullamore Division of King's County, I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether his attention has been called to the complaints made by prominent Irish tobacco manufacturers that a tobacco trust is largely importing into Ireland a tobacco falsely described and sold as Irish roll; and whether, seeing that the Irish tobacco industry, which directly and indirectly employs thousands of people, has already suffered injury by this competition, he would be prepared to advise His Majesty's Government to facilitate the passing of a short Bill prohibiting the sale in Ireland of tobacco described as Irish when it has not been manufactured in Ireland.
§ MR. WALTER LONGNo complaint to the effect mentioned has been received by the Department, but if evidence is put before them that the provisions of the Merchandise Marks Act are contravened, they will bring it to the notice of the proper authorities.
§ MR. WALTER LONGIf any facts are sent to the Department they will be inquired into.
§ MR. JOSEPH DEVLINI beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury whether he is aware that quantities of roll tobacco, manufactured in England and Scotland, have been sold to the public as Irish roll tobacco, with the result that a branch of Irish trade is threatened; whether any prosecutions have taken place in consequence; and what steps 1141 he proposes to take to prevent the perpetuation of this fraud upon the public in future.
§ THE PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY TO THE BOARD OF TRADE (Mr. BONAR LAW, Glasgow, Blackfriars)The Board of Trade have no recent information on the subject, but they are prepared, to consider with a view to prosecution any specific case of infringement of the Merchandise Marks Act, 1887, which is submitted under the regulations which govern prosecutions. It is, of course, open to the Irish manufacturers to take proceedings themselves if they are so advised.