§ Mr. GINNELLasked the Attorney-General whether his attention, or that of the Director of Public Prosecutions, had been directed to the recent convictions before a London police magistrate of persons exhibiting and selling as Irish certain articles not of Irish origin or manufacture; and, in view of the prevalence of such offences and the difficulties private persons meet in attempting such prosecutions, would he say why they are not instituted by the Crown?
§ The ATTORNEY-GENERAL (Sir William Robson)My attention has been directed to the case to which the hon. Member refers. It was prosecuted at the instance of private persons under the provisions of the Merchandise Marks Act, 1887, and no difficulty seems to have arisen by reason of the prosecutors being private persons. I do not admit that private prosecutors meet with any special difficulties in the institution of such proceedings. On the contrary, they frequently possess special advantages not open to the Crown, and in many cases the matter is better left to them; but, wherever it seems necessary or advisable, the prosecution is undertaken by the Board of Trade.