§ 33. Sir GERALD HURSTasked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether any and what progress has been made in the direction of securing the automatic registration of British designs for cotton goods in His Majesty's African colonies, dependencies, and mandated territories?
§ Dr. SHIELSAs regards the automatic protection, in the African dependencies, of designs registered in the United Kingdom, there has been no change in the position indicated in the reply given to the hon. Member s question of the 11th November.
§ Sir G. HURSTDoes the hon. Gentleman intend to pursue this question in regard to designs of cotton goods?
§ Dr. SHIELSIt has been very thoroughly gone into, and it is the view of the Government that the present arrangement is quite fair. It is in agreement with the views of the colonies concerned. As far as I can state at present, we have no intention of proposing any alteration.
§ Sir G. HURSTDoes the hon. Gentleman know that at the present time there is no arrangement at all.
§ Dr. SHIELSNo, Sir, I do not know anything of the kind. The arrangement is—and I think the hon. Member got the information the last time he asked the question—that quite a number of colonies 1391 give automatic protection, and in others there is registration by local deposit and a certain charge is made. I understand that part of the criticism is about this charge.