[14 GEO. 5.] Merchandise Marks Acts (1887 to 1911) 1 Amendment,

A

BILL

ΤΟ

Amend the Merchandise Marks Acts, 1887 to A.D. 1924. 1911, in their application to certain goods dealt with in the fancy jewellery and allied trades.

E it enacted by the King's most Excellent Majesty,

Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, 5 as follows:

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1. For the purposes of the Merchandise Marks Acts, 1887 to 1911:

(1) Each of the expressions set forth in the first
column of the schedule to this Act when used
as a trade description or part of a trade descrip-
tion of any goods (whether made in the United
Kingdom or elsewhere) shall be deemed to have
the meaning set forth opposite such expression
in the second column of the said schedule and
to have no other meaning, and the application
of any such expression as aforesaid to any
goods which are not truly described by such
expression when used with that meaning, shall
be deemed the application of a false description
to such goods.

(2) The application to any goods of a trade descrip-
tion containing the word "gold," except as part
of one of the expressions set forth in the first

Meaning

and use of

certain trade descriptions.

A.D. 1924.

Section eighteen of Merchandise

Marks Act, 1887, not to apply to certain trade descriptions.

Power for

ciations to

prosecute offences.

Amendment.

column of the schedule to this Act or as part of the expression "imitation gold," shall be deemed the application of a false trade description to such goods unless such goods, so far as they purport to be made of gold, are actually 5 made of gold having a quality not lower than nine carats.

2. Section eighteen (Provision as to false descriptions not to apply where trade description lawfully applied to goods of particular class) of the Merchandise 10 Marks Act, 1887, shall not apply to any trade description which consists of or includes any of the expressions set forth in the first column of the schedule to this Act or contains the word "gold.'

3. Any association established wholly or partly for 15 certain asso- the protection or promotion of the interests of persons engaged in the fancy jewellery trade or any allied trade, or any officer of any such association duly authorised for the purpose, may, subject to the provisions of the constitution of the association, prosecute 20 or take any legal proceeding in respect of any offence under the Merchandise Marks Acts, 1887 to 1911, with respect to any trade description which consists of or includes any of the expressions set forth in the first column of the schedule to this Act or contains the word 25 gold," provided that nothing in this section shall prejudice the rights of any person who would be entitled to prosecute any such offences as aforesaid if this section had not been enacted.

Short title.

Commencement of Act.

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4. This Act shall be read with the Merchandise 30 Marks Acts, 1887 to 1911, and may be cited as the Merchandise Marks (Fancy Jewellery and Allied Trades) Act, 1924, and the Merchandise Marks Acts, 1887 to 1911, and this Act may be cited together as the Merchandise Marks Acts, 1887 to 1924.

5. This Act shall come into operation on the
one thousand nine hundred and

day of
twenty-four.

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[14 GEO. 5.] Merchandise Marks Acts (1887 to 1911)

Amendment.

SCHEDULE.

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2. Meaning.

This expression shall apply only to an article the
front of which is made in a separate portion,
and afterwards attached to the base metal
back. The test shall be that by running the
solder, where necessary, the separate sheet of
gold can be removed from the back of base
metal.

This means a sheet of gold sweated or soldered
to a thicker sheet or bar of base metal, and
the whole rolled down together. In the case
of wire, the definition shall be that the whole
of the bar of base metal is surrounded with
gold, sweated or soldered on, and the whole
drawn down together.

The expression "rolled gold" is to supersede
the expressions "gold plate and "rolled
gold plate" heretofore used in some cases of
articles to which this meaning applies. The
test shall be that on annealing and pickling
a surface of gold will be shown.
This is an expression used chiefly by optical and
watch trades, and the definition is: A sheet
of gold sweated or soldered to each side of a
bar or ingot of metal, the whole being rolled
down together. In the case of wire, the core
of base metal is entirely surrounded with a
covering of gold.

An article cased with gold of such thickness that
when the metal is dissolved in acid the gold
shell is left intact.

An electro deposit of gold of sufficient density
to withstand the nitric acid test.

A deposit of gold on base metal by chemical or
electro deposition process.

Articles covered with gold dissolved in mercury
which are put into the fire to burn out the
mercury.

A.D. 1924.

MEMORANDUM.

The principal amendments which the Bill proposes to make in the existing Statute Law relating to Merchant Shipping are as follows:

1. "Wood goods" must not be carried as deck cargo during winter, and in summer may only be carried, subject to the conditions which now apply to the carrying of those goods, as such cargo, during the winter months.

2. Provision is made for improving the accommodation for seamen and apprentices, especially in the case of new ships.

3. Except in cases of grave emergency, no seaman
or apprentice on a British ship is to be employed
for more than eight hours a day or more than
forty-eight hours a week. The provision, how-
ever, does not extend to the crews of registered
fishing boats, or to apprentices in the sea-fishing
service.

4. Certificates of competency must be held by the
officers of all British home-trade passenger ships,
whether going to sea from a place in the United
Kingdom or not, and of all British ships trading
between any place or places without the limits
specified in the definition of "foreign-going
ship" contained in section seven hundred and
forty-two of the Merchant Shipping Act, 1894.
5. Power is given to the Board of Trade to make
regulations with respect to the service of
provisions required to be provided under section
twenty-five of the Merchant Shipping Act,
1906.

6. The statutory requirements relating to provisions
for lascars and natives for India (vide section
twenty-five of the Merchant Shipping Act,
1906), are strengthened.

7. The obligation to carry a certificated cook under section twenty-seven of the Merchant Shipping Act, 1906, is extended.