TRADE MARK FRAUDS.

Evening Post, Volume LXXVII, Issue 133, 12 June 1909, Page 10

TRADE MARK FRAUDS.

The Paris correspondent of the Daily Chronicle writes : — The annual report of the British Chamber of Commerce shows that the members number 474, of whom 223 are resident in Paris and 251 non-resident. One hundred new members were elected in the course of the year. With regard to tho fraudulent use of British marks, French legislation has not yet been brought into accord with the terms of the Madrid Convention, to which France is a signatory. The French law as it stands provides punishment only for the importation of goods marked so as to make them appear of French origin, but no ponalty attaches to the importation of goods bearing fraudulent foreign marks. The injustice is illustrated by instances cited in memoranda addressed to the British Ambassador and the French Minister of Commerce, where hats and cravats from Germany were marked "Superior — Manufactured m London" ; "Four-in-Hand"; "London Style"; "High-class Novelty," etc. It lias also come to the knowledge of the chamber that boots manufactured in France have been marked "Made in En<rland/' while French hosiery is being sold bearing close imitations of wellknown Nottingham marks. Files made of Swedish ste^l aie stamped "Sheffield." The report calls attention to tho extent to which trade with Canada was hampered during the past year prior to the ratification of the Franco-Canadian Convention, to whijh great importance is attached, as showing that the Dominion if coming \nU> i.h« fprsfront b£ the bat-, lie for. tha-svoj-ld.'.fijradg J