SHODDY GOODS.

Timaru Herald, Volume XC, Issue 13315, 18 June 1907, Page 3

SHODDY GOODS.

AUSTRALIAN ACTION. , The Acting-Minister of Customs of Australia announced other clay that he had decided to &:ck the co-opera.ion of the British Board of 'ia'ade* and the British Uovernment in K-curing a stoppage of tiie practice of sending to Ar.straiiu, siioddy and adulterated goods under misleading- descriptions and deceptive labels'. "I think," said Mr. Chapman, J' that action is necessary not. onJy .in Australia bat- outside k. I believe that Avhen other countries got- to know what, is taking pia.ee tlierd will beno difficulty in getting united action to prevent adulteration, especially when it r; so injurious. am: .surprised to tee- from further statements on .'thi:-.' subject tliati have aiipeared in thei Ago that tome' of these loadings and dyes are actually poisonous, and that many of the fabrics contain arsenical constituents-. When iliia are trying find out the extent of this sere ot thing gttis into what you wear—and in som'e caj-.cs into what you drinfe and eat --it- i 9 tim-a soma action was taken. We great evil, and we propose-, as has* been of Trade, and With any other authority that we think can or ought to helj> u.s. People- must not be allowed to bring in ■suggested,to communicate with the Board adult.rated fluff a-s pure. If they want to bring in some tiling which is half cotton and half uilk they must give a trade description accordingly, and not describe it. as pure silk if they to introduce loaded ;■ tufT as pure I can only say they .will find considerable difficulties put in their way in future. We. ai\i not going to act hastily, for it is..clear that the thing lias been going on for years and years. Importers have fair warning now, aud ihough we are staying our hand for the present, we. are. not going to do so indefinitely." It will be remembered that the general inquiry into the constituents, of fabrics, etc. now proceeding, arose. out of (lie importation of "si'k" of £59 worth of goods belonging to a. well-known ;Flindrrs Lane firm—the goods proving to be 50 per cent. clKmk-.ds. It appear# ihat this firm, feels veiy sore over some remarks which had been made in the press Over the incident, and its representatives called on Mr Chapman and declared that it had been inferred from >:om ■ of h;Yi remarks that they had been guilty' of an impudeait attempt at ira"cl. "The repjvsenta-tivc-s of the firm," said Mr Chapman, commenting afterwards on 'lie, vi.i", "pointed out- that as they were a reputably firm tlry felt this very much. I pointed out to theiri a statement, which appeared in the Age, which, I think, made- tin* matter very plain. It was difficult to believe that anybody would say, aft r discovering that, this practice was widespread, that one particular firm wa;i guilty of fraud. The. very fact that- they were a imputable firm, and that we had discovered that the practice was so widespread, induced me to reveio.* the forfeiture. The fraud is not imputed to the firm, but there can be no doubt as regards the practice. Foice of circumstances stays one's hand at present because th-re is so much of this stuff coming in, and evidently adulteration is world-wide. W« are very much surprised to find the extent to which it has iuii. The consume)-:, who are so veiy much interested, nted not fear that action will be delayed, as some of the ne-wspapes have stafed., for a long period of time. We are making every -effort to discover the ramifications of the adulteration in importations. The Commerce Ace provides that as proper description must be given. In fact, tinder the law. any description which is likely to deceive is irregular. But- I realise that in this matter united action is necessary to secure the effective protection of consumers. The Commerce Act is intended ito.see that, we get honest- trading; consequently it- is our duty to soe thnt adulteration is put down a.7 far as possible. We mean to do thai."

Although the present universal luibit- of ! smoking is of comparatively recent date, the use of tobacco wa.s carried to a great excess when it was first introduced. Our ancestors smoked even in church. All such offenders were solemnly excommunicate! bv Urban VIII in 1624, and again by Innocent XII. in 1690. when the practice stems to have extended to Rome itself. There was William Breedon, too, Vicar of Thornton, " a profound divine and absolutely the most polite person for nativities in that a Lie." of wh'oii) the astrologer Lilly says that " when lu- liad no tobacco he would cut the bell ropes and smoke them." Prohibitions of the custom were frequent. " Item, you shall not utter," enjoins an alehouse license of the time of jam'es 1., "nor willingly suffer to be, utter d, drunke, or taken any tobacco within your liouse, cellar; or other place thereunto belonging." The rules of Cliigwell School (1629) provided that the master must be "no puffer of tobacco," and Charles ILsent a letter to the University of Cambridge, forbidding the members to vesir periwigs, smoke tobacco, or lead their sermons ! .