§ 35. Miss Burtonasked the President of the Board of Trade whether his attention has been drawn to a recent successful prosecution in London under the Merchandise Marks Acts concerning the application of false trade descriptions to Japanese shirts exported to this country via Hong Kong; and what steps he proposes to take with the Hong Kong Government in order to ensure proper standards of trading between Hong Kong and this country.
§ Mr. P. ThorneycroftThe prosecution to which the hon. Member refers concerned the false description of rayon shirts as nylon. I understand that the shirts were made in Hong Kong where the false labelling of goods is an offence in the same way as in this country. I understand from my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Colonies that the Government of Hong Kong have taken the most energetic measures in dealing with this matter, as a result of which there may be a prosecution in Hong Kong.
§ Miss BurtonWill the right hon. Gentleman bring to the attention of the Hong Kong Government some facts which have been sent to me from there, namely, that many Japanese cloths are imported and in a short time appear on the open market as "Made in England"? Furthermore, is he aware that street hawkers are openly cutting out the Japanese marks and stencilling "Made in England" on the cheaper cloth imports from Japan for better sales?
§ Mr. ThorneycroftI will consider any information which the hon. Lady has, but this has nothing to do with Japanese cloth. It was not Japanese cloth.