§ MR. BOLAND (Kerry, S.)I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that La Samaritaine, a French firm trading at 99, Regent Street, London, was prosecuted on 27th March and fined £20, at the Marlborough Street Police Court, for exposing and selling as Irish lace a French-made crochet blouse; can he state through what English ports and under what designation French-made crochet is imported; what is the estimated annual value of such importation according to the latest information available; and can he state what steps he proposes to take in order to safeguard the interests of the Irish lace industry from dishonest competition in London and other cities of Great Britain.
§ MR. LLOYD-GEORGEMy attention has been called to the prosecution 498 referred to. I am sorry I cannot give my hon. friend the information he asks for as to the importation of French-made crochet, as the goods are not separately classified in the Customs Returns. With reference to the last paragraph of the Question the Board of Trade are always prepared to consider with a view to prosecution, if the circumstances should warrant it, any cases of infringement of the Merchandise Marks Act that may be put before them which affect the general interests of a trade.
§ MR. BOLANDMay I ask the right hon. Gentleman in connection with this gross case of fraud why the Board of Trade has not done as it did in another case, where it prosecuted to conviction and imprisonment a seller of fraudulent Scottish tweed?
§ MR. LLOYD-GEORGEThat prosecution was undertaken on information supplied to us, and if similar information is brought to our attention in regard to Irish lace we shall be pleased to act on it.