HOME POLITICS.

Press, Volume LIX, Issue 17749, 28 April 1923, Page 13

HOME POLITICS.

ADMIRALTY CONTRACTS. PREFERENCE TO DOMINIONS. (bi casle—ransst association— coptbioht.) (austbauau akd \.z. CABLE ASSOCIATION.) LONDON. April 20. Replying 1 to n question in the House of Commons, Mr B. M. Eyres Monsoll, Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty, said that, in compliance with a resolution of the Imperial Conference of 1918, :i preference of 16 2-3 rd per cent, was, up to last, year, given in Admiralty contracts to Empire products. It was then found that, by increasing the preference on Home products to 25 per cent., a substantial number of foreign contracts would be diverted to tho Home market, but that a similar increase on Empire products would have no appreciable eifoct. Loss than 1 per cent, of the value, of Navy eontraets, with the exception of oil fuel, went to foreign contractors in the last financial year. MERCHANDISE MARKS BILL. (AUSTBAUAN AND N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION.) LONDON, April 26. A Standing Committee of tho House of Commons, discussing the Merchandise Marks BiU, heard several strong protests against the marking of meat on the ground that it would increase the cost and cause delay. It was also urged that indelible ink would disfigure the meat. Mr E. G. Pretymnn expressed the Government's willingness to withdraw the word "indelible." He said the Customs authorities thought they could carry out the provisions of the Bill without delay.