HC Deb 21 March 1907 vol 171 cc869-70
SIR HOWARD VINCENT (Sheffield, Central)

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland under what circumstances he has already 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. BIRRELL

The 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 VINCENT

Will the right hon. Gentleman say how the Government justify these protective duties in Ireland against Irish goods?

MR. BIRRELL

I think not.