§ 45. Mr. LUNDONasked the Vice-President of the Department of Agriculture (Ireland) whether some time back Messrs. Harrods, of London, were suspected of having offered for sale goods labelled as Irish, but which were really American; whether prosecutions were instituted, and, if so, with what result; will he state if any other of the leading London houses were visited on similar suspicion, and, if so, will the names of the firms be given; and what proceedings, if any, were taken against them?
§ Mr. DUKEArticles purchased as linen by officers of the Department in 1913 at the premises of Messrs. Harrods were found to be made from cotton. The circumstances of the case were fully investigated at the time, and, as there appeared to be ground for concluding that the misdescription was due to an error, it was considered that an explanatory public advertisement by the firm would meet the case. In the same year articles were bought as linen by officers of the Department at a large number of shops in London. Prosecutions were instituted in seven oases, in six of which convictions 467 resulted. The names of the firms concerned in these cases duly appeared in the Press reports of the proceedings in Court.