§ MR. CHIOZZA MONEY (Paddington, N.)I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that Messrs. J. and P. Coats, Limited, by combining the sewing cotton businesses of Messrs. Coats, of Paisley, Messrs. Clark & Company, Messrs. Jonas Brook & Brothers, and Messrs. James Chadwick & Brother, have secured a virtual monopoly of the sewing cotton trade of the United Kingdom; that foreign competition is-non-existent in this trade; that it is practically impossible for new British competition to arise; that the cotton trust makes a regular profit of about £3,000,000 per annum on a capital of £10,000,000; and whether, under these circumstances, he can see his way to legislate to secure public control of a trade which affects every working woman in the country. I beg further to ask the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that in the wall-paper manufacture, a trade little affected by foreign competition, a combination of makers has been formed under the title of Wallpaper Manufacturers, Limited, which 1333 absorbed the businesses carried on by C. and J. G. Potter, the Darwen Paper Staining Company, Potter & Company, Huntingdon Frères, the Anaglypta Company, Lightbown, Aspinall & Company, Allan, Cockshut & Company, the Ligno mar Company, Carlisle and Clegg, Osborn and Shearman, John Trumble & Sons, Walker Carver & Company, Limited, W. G. Wilkins & Company, Limited,Mitchell, Arnott & Company, Limited, and twelve other makers; that this great amalgamation amounts to a virtual monopoly of the trade, and that it is subversive of the public interest; and whether he can see his way to take steps to secure public control of the monopoly.
§ MR. LLOYD-GEORGEPerhaps I may answer these two Questions together. There is no monopoly of the sewing cotton trade in this or any other country. There are over twenty independent makers of the article whose capital amounts to millions of pounds, including important limited companies and manufacturers who have been in existence for more than half a century, and between whom and Coats there is no connection. The position which Messrs. Coats have established for themselves in various markets for cotton sewing thread is well known. I have no official information as to their profits, or as to the extent to which the Wall-Paper Manufacturers, Limited, have established a virtual monopoly as suggested in the Question. I find, however, that imports of printed paperhangings amounted last year to £133,000 compared with only £34,000 in 1894, the last previous year for which these imports were separately recorded. As regards the last part of the Question I can add nothing to my reply given last Monday†.
§ MR. CHTOZZA MONEYMay I ask the right hon. Gentleman if he has given consideration to the fact that the combination controlled by Messrs. Coats does, as a matter of fact, enjoy what I say is virtually a monopoly? I mean that it absorbs about nine-tenths of the trade. With regard to wall-paper, the amount imported is so insignificant that it has no bearing on the Question.
§ *MR. SPEAKERThe hon. Member is making a debating speech.
† See col. 702.