CHRISTMAS STOCKINGS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23939, 14 October 1939, Page 16

CHRISTMAS STOCKINGS

"MADE IN NEW ZEALAND" ALLEGED WRONGFUL USE OF WORDS (Per United Press Association; AUCKLAND, Oct. 13. The alleged wrongful use of the words "Made in New Zealand" in connection with goods contained in Christmas stockings was the basis of an action against James Stedman Henderson Sweets, Ltd., by the Commissioner of Patents and Trade Marks, which was heard in the Magistrate's Court before Mr C. R. Orr Walker, S.M. Mr Meredith appeared for the plaintiff, and the defendant company was represented by Mr Finlay. The use of the words " Made in New Zealand" tended to mislead any person as to the place of manufacture of the goods, said Mr Meredith for the plaintiff. The defendant company, he said, manufactured for the retail trade Christmas stockings, the price ranging from 6d to £1 Is. One stocking concerning which the charge * was laid was bought by a representative of the Commissioner of Patents and Trade Marks, and it was found that of 16 articles which it contained nine were made in Japan, one in Australia and only six in New Zealand. On it was a circular label which bore the words mentioned in the charge. If the label was a definition of the place of origin of all goods in the stockings, said Mr Finlay, it. was a misrepresentation. He contended, however, that the articles themselves were stamped with their place of origin, and that the label was intended to relate to the stocking as a composite unity. The attraction to the buyer was not in the individual items but in the stocking as a whole. In that case, he said, the stocking could be defined as "Made in New Zealand." Between 70,000 and 80,000 Christmas stockings, which required considerable local preparation, had been manufactured last year, giving employment to 12 girls for three months before Christmas. \ The magistrate reserved his decision.