§ 41. Mr. SAMUEL SAMUELasked the Prime Minister whether he will postpone the Second Reading of the China. Indemnity (Application) Bill until such time as the Chinese Government alter the conditions of their Trade Marks Bill so as to protect British manufacturers and traders against having trade marks, which they have been using for a number of years, fraudulently taken away from them?
§ The PRIME MINISTERThe attitude of His Majesty's Government towards the new Chinese Trade Marks Law was fully explained in a written reply to the hon. Member for Sowerby on the 15th April. It would not be desirable to connect this question with the very different matter of the China Indemnity Bill.
§ Mr. SAMUELHas the right hon. Gentleman a list of applications by Chinese, Japanese and German firms for the registration of British trade marks, and is it not possible to suspend this Bill for the purpose of bringing in a Bill by which the money could be applied to paying compensation to British manufacturers and merchants who have had their trade marks taken away?
§ The PRIME MINISTERI think it is far more desirable that, in the matter of Chinese trade mark law, we should conduct our negotiations on the merits of the case itself, and not mix it up with another Act of ours, which I hope will be 862 accepted by China as an act of grace rather than as the result of a bargain.
§ Sir F. WISEWhen will the Trade Marks Bill be introduced to deal with this matter?
§ The PRIME MINISTERI must have notice of that question.