View report page

71
Merchandise Marks Act, 1926, and Imported Goods
Orders made thereunder.
Administration.
Reference is made in another part of this report to the Orders
in Council in operation under this Act.
Periodical inspections have been made at shops and stalls in
this Borough, and it was found, with a comparatively few exceptions,
that the Orders were being observed.
Where the requirements were not being complied with either
verbal cautions were administered or the cases were referred to the
Public Health Committee for consideration.
In this connection 13 cautions in writing were sent to tradesmen
whc had sold or exposed for sale imported articles of food not marked
with an indication of the country of origin.
The articles in respect of which these cautions were sent are
as follows:—
Butter 8
Imported eggs 2
Fresh apples 1
Raw tomatoes 1
Honey 1
In one instance the Committee directed that proceedings be
instituted in connection with the sale of imported butter sold without
any indication of origin.
This sample of butter was one of several prepacked half a
pound parcels delivered by the wholesale firm in wrappers, properly
marked with the delaration " Including imported butter."
The retailer removed the covering from this butter and
re-wrapped and sold it enclosed in a plain wrapper.
The summons was dismissed under the Probation of Offenders
Act, the defendant being ordered to pay £1 1s. costs.
It is provided by Section 13 of the 1926 Act that this Act
shall be construed as one with the Merchandise Marks Acts, 1887
to 1911, and be cited together as the Merchandise Marks Acts, 1887
to 1926.
Section 1 deals with imported goods other than foodstuffs, and
is administered by the Board of Trade.
Section 2 provides power to require the indication of origin of
certain imported goods, which upon the report of the appropriate
Committee to the "Department" which is defined as a body set up
representative of the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, the
Home Office and the Secretary of State for Scotland acting jointly,
the Department may by Order in Council prohibit the sale or
exposure for sale in the United Kingdom of imported goods of that
class or description, unless they bear an indication of the country
of origin.