§ Mr. GINNELLasked the President of the Board of Trade whether his attention has 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 403 manufacture; and if he will say why the laws for the protection of British industries against such practices are not put in force by the Crown when the industries assailed in this manner are Irish?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLThe answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. The Board of Trade are authorised by the Merchandise Marks Act, 1891, to undertake the prosecution of offenders under the Merchandise Marks Act, 1887, in cases appearing to the Board to affect the general interests of the country or of a Section of the community or of a trade, and are prepared at any time to consider applications to take such action, in accordance with the regulations framed in pursuance of Section 2 (1) of the Act of 1891. Their readiness to take action is not affected by the question of whether the industries involved are English, Welsh, Scottish or Irish. I may add that the Irish Department of Agriculture and Technical Instruction are receiving the assistance of the Board of Trade in connection with prosecutions of the nature in question.