§ SIR HOWARD VINCENT (Sheffield, Central)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland under what circumstances he has already 870 a protective tariff in Ireland against Sheffield silver, and exacts a charge of 1s. an ounce for putting thereon the Irish hall-mark, whereas in England the charge is only ½d. an ounce for putting the hall-mark on Irish silver; and if he proposes during his term of office to impose like restrictions on all articles of British manufacture imported into Ireland.
§ MR. BIRRELLThe hon. Gentleman has been misinformed. The matter in question does not fall within the province of any department of the Government. The duty of hall-marking silver in Ireland devolves upon the Corporation of Goldsmiths in Ireland, a body incorporated by Royal Charter in 1637. Under the Charter, the Corporation possess the right to fix the charges for hall-marking. The hon. Secretary to the Corporation informs me that in 1896 their charge for hall-marking articles manufactured in England was raised to one shilling an ounce, in order to counteract a practice, which had sprung up in certain quarters, of sending articles to Ireland to be hall-marked, and then selling them as of Irish manufacture.
§ SIR HOWARD VINCENTWill the right hon. Gentleman say how the Government justify these protective duties in Ireland against Irish goods?
§ MR. BIRRELLI think not.