Trade Frauds in Sheffield.

Te Aroha News, Volume IV, Issue 180, 27 November 1886, Page 6

Trade Frauds in Sheffield.

For BoiDe time past a committee of tbe Sheffield Town Council has been holding an inquiry into allegations of practices carried on by some local merchants and manufacturers calculated to seriously endanger the reputation of the town and to affect ita trade. The result of twelve sittings is that they have adopted a report showing that every charge had been proved with the exception of two, upon which no evidence was offered. The proved allega tions were that German cattery and tools are largely imported into the warehouses of the Sheffield merchants and manufacturers ; that while some of theee are again sent out as confessedly of German make, others are sent out as Sheffield made by means of false descriptions on the goods themselves, or by cards or labels, and that large numbers of retail tradesmen and other consumers buy the German goods thus sent out under the impression that they are Sheffield made. Other allegations were that goods of low quality were manufactured in Sheffield, and by means of false descriptions were represented to be of a quality they did not possess. These charges, too, the committee will report to have been proved. In order to put a stop to such practices, they have recommended the Council to petition in favour of Mr Mundella's trade-mark bill.