§ MR. KEIR HARDIE (Merthyr Tidvil)I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade what action he has taken or contemplates to compel the manufacturers of damask to have the words " Irish hand-woven linen damask" woven into the fabric of all such goods produced in Ireland.
§ MR. LLOYD-GEORGEI am not aware that the Board of Trade have any power to compel manufacturers of damask to mark their goods in the manner suggested.
MR. KEIR HAUDIEMy suggestion is that they should secure such powers in continuation of existing powers which enable them to compel the name to be written in ink.
§ MR. LLOYD-GEORGEI am not sure whether that point could be considered by the Committee on Trade which is now considering the Merchandise Marks Bill.
§ MR. LIDDELL (Down, W.)Is it not a fact that damask manufacturers in Ireland are quite prepared to adopt the marking suggested in the Question, and that in some cases they have already done so, but that in many cases the firms they do business with object?
§ MR. LLOYD-GEORGEI should like notice of that Question.