HC Deb 11 March 1925 vol 181 cc1332-7
Mr. HANNON

I beg to move That leave be given to bring in a Bill to amend the Merchandise Marks Acts, 1F0.37 to 1911. in their application to certain articles dealt with in the fancy jewellery anal allied trades. For a considerable time this particular branch of trade has been in a rather confused state, because of the rather vague definition put upon different expressions and terms commonly used In the trade. Last year my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs introduced a Bill similar in character to that which I am now asking the leave of the House to introduce. I understand that he had consultations from time to time with representatives of the administration then in office, and that no serious objection was raised by the leaders on the other side of the House. Since then further correspondence on one or two disputed points has passed between the Birmingham Jewellers' and Silversmiths' Association, and the Board of Trade, the Customs authorities, and the authorities of the Goldsmiths Hall, as a result of which complete agreement has been arrived at. as to the importance of a Measure of this kind being introduced for the safety of those engaged in this particular trade.

The Bill as redrafted this year has met with the approval of the Board of Trade and of Goldsmiths Hall. It does not seek in any way to impose any restriction upon trade. All that it asks for is that the terms employed in this particular branch of trade should be more clearly defined. It asks also that the conflicting meanings which are now attached to trade expressions in fancy jewellery and allied busi- ness in this country should be more clearly understood by the public, so that any deception which may possibly be practised in selling imitation jewellery to the public may be effectively prevented. At present there is no means by which the public can have a clear indication of the quality of the article of imitation jewellery which is sold. All the large organisations concerned in this industry, including manufacturers as well as merchants, are agreed in support of this Bill. For example the Birmingham Jewellers' and Silversmiths' Association, who are entirely a combination of manufacturer with a membership of 533 and one of the recognised parties in the country in connection with the jewellery trade, are promoting this Bill and are unanimous in its support. We have in the second place the London Wholesale Jewellers' and Allied Traders' Association, who are factors of real and imitation jewellery, also supporting the provisions of this Bill. In the third place we have the National Association of Goldsmiths, comprising 1,800 members, who equally desire that the provisions of this Bill should be put into operation.

The value of introducing legislation of this nature will. I hope, be apparent to the House when I state that both Canada and Australia found the advantage of adopting a Measure of the kind which I am now submitting some years ago, in order that frauds in the sale of these articles can be prevented in their respective countries. The various parties who are interested in this trade have given strong expression of their views in support of this Bill. They desire to have such terms as "gold case," for example, "gold front," "rolled gold," "gold filled," and "gilt," clearly defined. Even the word "gilt" may at present be applied indiscriminately to a whole series of articles without any responsibility on the person selling the article to indicate precisely what it means. In the Schedule attached to this Bill these definitions are set forth. We hope, therefore, that if the Bill becomes law there will he adequate protection for the public purchasing articles of this nature. I may refer to the action taken by the authorities in England in relation to this particular trade. A communication was addressed in September by the Department of Overseas Trade to the Birming- ham Jewellers' Association, in which they say: The Indian Customs authorities have recently adopted the definition of 'rolled gold,' 'gold filled,' 'rolled gold plate,' 'gilt,' etc., formulated by your association at a public meeting held in Birmingham, of which they give the date. The Indian authorities have accepted without question the wise decision of the Birmingham jewellers. Similarly, we have such admirable bodies as the Edinburgh Goldsmiths' Association unanimously in support of this Bill, as also the Blackburn Branch of the National Association of Goldsmiths, and the Scottish Association of Watchmakers and Jewellers. This is a short Bill setting forth in very brief form these provisions which will enable this trade to be carried on with greater advantage to those engaged in it at the moment, both in manufacture and in distribution, and 11th greater safety to the public who purchase these articles. I hope that the Bill will be regarded as non-controversial. I understand that hon. Gentlemen opposite last year took no exception to the provisions of the short Bill which was then proposed, and I hope that the House will allow me to introduce this Measure.

Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHY

I can see no necessity for bringing in this Bill under the Ten Minutes' Rule, and look upon it as simply a waste of the time of Parliament. I listened very carefully to every word spoken by the hon. Member, who has given no explanation whatever of the Bill. All he done has been to quote various authorities and various resolutions of silversmiths and goldsmiths who say that they are in favour of it. We know the way in which these resolutions are passed. They carry no Weight with me, and I hope that they carry no weight with the House. A much better course for the hon. Gentleman to have taken would have been to present this Bill in the ordinary way. The Bill would not have got so much publicity, it is true, hut we should have had the opportunity of perusing it and of knowing what was in it, and deciding whether it should receive a Second Reading in the ordinary way. It is true that he quoted the Bill of last year, but he calls this an amending Bill. Another objection is that we have heard nothing about the penalties proposed by the Bill. The Bill may include new crime; in the catalogue of legislation, and to do so in legislation of this sort is most objectionable. All that I can make out of the Bill is that it is a new tax on engagement and wedding rings, and, therefore, would be a discouragement to the very desirable state of matrimony. This is not a time at which we ought to bring in a Bill to discourage that sort of trade,

and I hope that the House will refuse leave to introduce this Measure.

Question put,

"That leave be given to bring hi a Bill to amend the Merchandise Marks Acts. 1887 to 1911, in their application to certain articles, dealt with in the fancy jewellery and allied trades."

The House divided: Ayes, 205; Noes. 128.

Division No. 35.] AYES. [4.1 p.m.
Acland-Troyte, Lieut.-Colonel Fairfax, Captain J. G. Manningham-Buller, Sir Mervyn
Ainsworth, Major Charles Falle, Sir Bertram G. Margesson, Captain D.
Alexander, E. E. (Leyton) Fermoy, Lord Marriott, Sir J. A. R.
Allen, J. Sandeman (L'pool, W. Derby) Fielden, E. B. Meyer, Sir Frank
Amery, Rt. Hon. Leopold C. M. S. Foster, Sir Harry S. Mitchell, S. (Lanark, Lanark)
Ashley, Lt.-Col. Rt. Hon. Wilfrid W. Fraser, Captain Ian Mitchell, Sir W. Lane (Streatham)
Atholl, Duchess of Fremantle, Lt.-Col. Francis E. Moore, Sir Newton J.
Baldwin. Rt. Hon. Stanley Gibbs, Col. Rt. Hon. George Abraham Morrison, H. (Wilts, Salisbury)
Balniel, Lord Gilmour, Lt.-Col. Rt. Hon. Sir John Nall, Lieut.-Colonet Sir Joseph
Barclay-Harvey, C. M. Glyn, Major R. G. C. Nelson, Sir Frank
Beamish, Captain T. P. H. Grace, John Neville, R. J.
Bellairs, Commander Canyon W. Greene, W. P. Crawford Nield, Rt. Hon. Sir Herbert
Benn, Sir A. S. (Plymouth, Drake) Gretton, Colonel John Nuttall, Ellis
Bentinck, Lord Henry Cavendish Grotrian, H. Brent Oakley, T.
Betterton, Henry B. Guinness, Rt. Hon. Walter E. Oman, Sir Charles William C.
Boothby, R. J. G. Gunston, Captain D. W. Pease, William Edwin
Bourne, Captain Robert Croft Hacking, Captain Douglas H. Penny, Frederick George
Bowater, Sir T. Vansittart Hammersley, S. S. Percy, Lord Eustace (Hastings)
Boyd-Carpenter. Major A. Hanbury, C. Peto, Basil E. (Devon, Barnstaple)
Brass, Captain W. Harland, A. Peto, G. (Somerset, Frome)
Briscoe, Richard George Harrison, G. J. C. Plelou, D. P.
Brittain, Sir Harry Harvey, G. (Lambeth, Kennington) Pitcher. G.
Brooke, Brigadier-General C. R. I. Harvey. Major S. E. (Devon, Totnes) Pilditch, Sir Philip
Brown, Brig.-Gen. H. C. (Berks, Newby) Hawke, John Anthony Price, Major C. W. M.
Buckingham, Sir H. Henderson, Capt. R. R. (Oxf'd, Henley) Radford, E. A.
Bull. Rt. Hon. Sir William James Henderson. Lieut.-Col. V. L. (Bootle) Raine, W.
Bullock. Captain M. Henn, Sir Sydney H. Ramsden, E.
Burgoyne. Lieut.-Colonel Sir Alan Hennessy, Major J. R. G. Reid, Capt. A. S. C. (Warrington)
Burman, J. B. Henniker-Hughan, Vice-Adm. Sir A. Remer, J. R.
Burney, Lieut.-Com. Charles D. Herbert, Dennis (Hertford, Watford) Remnant, Sir James
Butler, Sir Geoffrey Herbert, S. (York. N.R., Scar. & Wh'by) Rentoul, G. S.
Cadogan. Major Hon. Edward Hilton, Cecil Rhys, Hon. C. A. U.
Caine, Gordon Hall Hoare, Lt.-Col. Rt. Hon. Sir S. J. G. Richardson. Sir P. W. (Stir'y, Ch'ts'y)
Campbell, E. T. Hogg, Rt. Hon. Sir D. (St. Marylebone) Roberts, E. H. O. (Flint)
Cayzer, Sir C. (Chester, City) Hohler, Sir Gerald Fitzroy Roberts, Samuel (Hereford, Hereford)
Cazalet. Captain Victor A. Holland, Sir Arthur Ruggles-Brise, Major E. A.
Chadwick, Sir Robert Burton Holt. Capt. H. P. Russell, Alexander West - (Tynemouth)
Chamberlain. Rt. Hon. N. (Ladywood) Homan, C. W. J. Rye, F. G
Chapman. Sir S. Hope. Capt. A. O. J. (Warw'k, Nun.) Salmon, Major I.
Charteris. Brigadier-General J. Hopkins. J. W. W. Samuel, A. M. (Surrey, Farnham)
Christie, J. A. Howard, Captain Hon. Donald Sandeman, A. Stewart
Churchman, Sir Arthur C. Hurd. Percy A. Sanders, Sir Robert A.
Clayton, G. C. Hutchison, G.A. Clark (Midi'n & P'bl's) Savory, S. S.
Cochrane, Commander Hon. A. D. Iliffe, Sir Edward M. Shaw, Lt.-Col. A. D. Mcl. (Renfrew, W)
Cockerill, Brigadier-General G. K. Jacob. A. E. Shaw. Capt. W. W. (Wilts, Westb'y)
Cooper, A. Duff Jephcott, A. R. Shepperson, E. W.
Cope, Major William Kennedy, A. R. (Preston). Simms, Dr. John M. (Co. Down)
Couper. J. B. King, Captain Henry Douglas Skelton. A. N.
Cralk, Rt. Hon. Sir Henry Kinloch-Cooke, Sir Clement Slaney. Major P. Kenyon
Crook, C. W. Knox, Sir Alfred Smith-Carington, Neville W.
Crookshank, Col. C. de W. (Berwick) Lane-Fox, Lieut.-Col. George R. Smithers, Waldron
Crookshank, Cpt. H. (Lindsey, Gainsbro) Lister, Cunliffe-, Rt. Hon. Sir Philip Somerville, A. A. (Windsor)
Cunliffe, Joseph Herbert Locker-Lampson, Com. O. (Handsw'th) Sprot, Sir Alexander
Curzon, Captain Viscount Loder, J. de V. Stanley, Lord (Fylde)
Dalkeith, Earl of Looker, Herbert William Stanley, Hon. O. F. G. (Westm'eland)
Davies, Maj. Geo. F.(Somerset, Yeovil) Lougher, L. Stuart, Crichton-, Lord C.
Dawson, Sir Philip Luce, Major-Gen. Sir Richard Harman Stuart, Hon. J. (Moray and Nairn)
Dixey, A. C. Lumley, L. R. Thompson, Luke (Sunderland)
Doyle, Sir N. Grattan MacAndrew, Charles Glen Thomson, F. C. (Aberdren, South)
Drewe, C. Macdonald, Capt. P. D. (I. of W.) Thomson, Sir W. Mitchell-(Croydon, S.)
Eden, Captain Anthony McDonnell, Colonel Hon. Angus Tinne, J. A.
Edmondson, Major A. J. MacIntyre, Ian Waddington, R.
Ellis, R. G. McNeill, Rt. Hon. Ronald John Ward, Lt.-Col. A. L. (Kingston-on-Hull)
Elveden, Viscount Macquisten, F. A. Warrender, Sir Victor
Erskine, James Malcolm Monteith Maitland, Sir Arthur D. Steel Wheler Major Granville C. H.
Everard, W. Lindsay Makins, Brigadier-General E. White, Lieut.-Colonel G. Dalrymple
Williams, Com. C. (Devon, Torquay) Wood, Rt. Hon. E. (York, W.R. Ripon) Yerburgh, Major Robert D. T.
Wilson, R. R. (Stafford, Lichfield) Wood, E. (Chest'r. Stalyb'dge & Hyde)
Wise, Sir Fredric Wood. Sir Kingsley (Woolwich, W.). TELLERS FOR THE AYES.—
Mr. Hannon and Mr. G. Balfour.
NOES.
Adamson, Rt. Hon. W. (Fite, West) Hardle, George D. Rose, Frank H.
Adamson, W. M. (Staff., Cannock) Harney, E. A. Scrymgeour, E.
Ammon, Charles George Harris, Percy A. Scurr, John
Attlee, Clement Richard Hartshorn, Rt. Hon. Vernon Sexton, James
Baker J. (Wolverhampton, Bilston) Hayday, Arthur Shaw, Rt. Hon. Thomas (Preston)
Barker, G. (Monmouth, Abertillery) Hayes, John Henry Shiels, Dr. Drummond
Barnes, A. Henderson, Rt. Hon. A. (Burnley) Short, Alfred (Wednesbury)
Barr, J. Henderson, T. (Glasgow) Sitch, Charles H.
Beckett, John (Gateshead) Hirst, G. H. Smith, H. B. Lees (Keighley)
Been, Captain Wedgwood (Leith) Hirst, W. (Bradford, South) Smith, Rennie (Penistone)
Broad, F. A. Hopkinson, A. (Lancaster, Mossley) Snell, Harry
Bromley. J. Hore-Belisha, Leslie Spencer, George A. (Broxtowe)
Brown, James (Ayr and Bute) Hutchison, Sir Robert (Montrose) Stamford, T. W.
Buchanan, G. John, William (Rhondda, West) Stephen, Campbell
Buxton, Rt. Hon. Noel Johnston, Thomas (Dundee) Stewart, J. (St. Rollox)
Clowes, S. Jones, Morgan (Caerphilly) Sutton, J. E.
Cluse, W. S. Jones, T. I. Mardy, (Pontypridd) Taylor, R. A.
Clynes, Rt. Hon. John R Kennedy, T. Thomas, Rt. Hon. James H. (Derby)
Collins, Sir Godfrey (Greenock) Kenyon, Barnet Thomson, Trevelyan (Middlesbro. W.)
Connolly, M. Lansbury, George Thorne, G. R. (Wolverhampton, E.)
Cowan, D. M. (Scottish Universities) Lawson, John James Thorne, W. (West Ham, Plaistow)
Crawfurd. H. E. Lee, F. Thurtle, E.
Dalton, Hugh Livingstone, A. M. Tinker, John Joseph
Davies, Evan (Ebbw Vale) Lowth, T. Trevelyan, Rt. Hon. C. P.
Davies, Rhys John (Westhoughlon) Lunn, William Viant, S. P.
Day, Colonel Harry MacDonald, Rt. Hon. J.R. (Aberavon) Warne, G. H.
Dunnico, H. Mackinder, W. Watson, W, M. (Dunfermline)
Edwards, C. (Monmouth, Bedwellty) MacLaren, Andrew Webb, Rt. Hon. Sidney
Edwards, John H. (Accrington) Maxton, James Wedgwood, Rt. Hon. Josiah
England, Colonel A. Mitchell, E. Rosslyn (Paisley) Wheatley, Rt. Hon. J.
Fisher, Rt. Hon. Herbert A. L. Montague, Frederick Whiteley, W.
Forrest. W. Morrison, R. C. (Tottenham, N.) Wignall, James
Gee, Captain R. Oliver, George Harold Wilkinson, Ellen C.
Gillett, George M. Pallin, John Henry Williams, Dr. J. H. (Llanelly)
Graham, Rt. Hon. Wm. (Edin., Cent.) Paling, W. Williams, T. (York, Don Valley)
Greenall, T. Parkinson, John Allen (Wigan) Wilson, C. H. (Sheffield, Attercliffe)
Greenwood, A (Nelson end Colne) Ponsonby, Arthur Wilson, R. J. (Jarrow)
Grenfell, D. R. (Glamorgan) Potts, John S. Windsor, Walter
Griffiths, T. (Monmouth, Pontypool) Richardson, R. (Houghton-le-Spring) Woodcock, Colonel H. C.
Groves, T. Riley, Ben Young, Robert (Lancaster, Newton)
Grundy, T. W. Ritson, J.
Hall, F. (York. W. R. Normanton) Roberts, Rt. Hon. F. O. (W. Bromwich) TELLERS FOR THE NOES.—
Hall, G. H. (Merthyr Tydvil) Robertson, J. (Lanark, Bothwell) Lieut.-Commander Kenworthy and.
Hamilton, Sir R. (Orkney & Shetland) Robinson, W. C. (Yorks, W. R., Elland) Mr. Wallhead

Bill read a Second time.

Bill ordered to be brought in by Mr. Hannon, Sir Evelyn Cecil, Sir Francis Lowe, Sir Edward Iliffe, Commander Locker-Lampson, Mr. Burman, Mr. Smedley Crooke, Mr. Jephcott, Sir Philip Dawson, and Mr. Raine.