HC Deb 21 February 1929 vol 225 cc1297-8
62. Mr. WADDINGTON

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that a Belgian bleached cotton sheet of low quality now being imported into this country has 54 per cent. of starch, china clay, etc., added to the cotton contained in the sheet and that, on a test, one of these sheets, which measured 69½ by 104 inches and weighed two pounds and half an ounce when purchased, was, after being washed, only 63 by 96 inches and only weighed one pound five ounces; and will he take steps to provide that the retail purchaser shall have evidence at the time of purchase of the actual cotton contents and the actual weight of these sheets?

Mr. H. WILLIAMS

I have seen in the Press a statement to the effect of the first part of my hon. Friend's question. It is, I understand, the common practice to size cotton goods. There is no legal provision dealing with the amount of starch, etc., added to cotton goods, and, so far as I am aware, there is no generally recognised standard in the trade. The publicity accorded to my hon. Friend's question will no doubt have a beneficial effect.

Mr. WADDINGTON

Are not these goods, which have been so heavily adulterated, falsely described as cotton, and are not the sellers liable to prosecution under the Merchandise Marks Act?

Mr. WILLIAMS

I shall be glad to look into that point; I could not answer off-hand.

Mr. T. SHAW

Will the hon. Gentleman consider the question of seeing that the consumer is safeguarded against this adulteration of all kinds of cotton goods, including British?

Mr. HILTON

Would it not be desirable to make some regulation to the effect that the presence of more than, say, 10 per cent. of added material should be brought to the notice of the consumer?

Mr. WILLIAMS

However desirable that might be, it would need legal powers, and such legal powers could not very well be granted until the trade itself had standardised its production.

Mr. HILTON

Is my hon. Friend aware that these sheetings, which are adulterated with as much as 54 per cent. of foreign matter, are being imported at 3d. per yard cheaper than ours?

Mr. MONTAGUE

Have we not, high authority for stating that adulteration is another form of competition?

Commander WILLIAMS

Is my hon. Friend aware that British manufacturers do not adulterate goods to any large extent?