§ 27. Mr. Tilneyasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will introduce legislation to allow him to reverse a decision when a mistake has been made by his department, following the complaint of a company well within the satutory period against a very similar name being granted registration to a different company.
§ Mr. DellNo, Sir. When objection to a company's name is taken on grounds other than harm to the public, I think it right that there should be a definite date, at present six months from the date of registration, after which the company cannot be directed to change its name.
§ Mr. TilneyAs the Board of Trade, well within the six months, allowed to be registered "Compton Organs" when there was in existence a company known as Compton Pipe Organs, are not the names so similar that the public are bound to be misled?
§ Mr. DellIn this case, in respect of which the hon. Gentleman has had correspondence with my predecessor, there is disagreement on the facts. The Board of Trade took the view that this was not a mistake, and that it was right to register this name. What the hon. Gentleman is really asking is whether, after a company has had a name for six months, and no harm is being done to the public, the Board of Trade should compel the company to change the name if it feels that there has been a mistake. I do not think that that would be right.