this protection both to the trading public of this Country and to the private Mark holder is not available, unless indeed there is some other law or Ordinance obtaining in the Straits settlement to which Lordship has not referred me.
Although I am writing this letter on behalf of private individuals and with regard to their private interest I have no doubt,
1 your Lordship will see that it is a matter of great public concern and it does appear as though there should be more unanimous action with reference to the question of fake marking among the various Government departments regulating the affairs of the different portions of this Empire.
In India there has been no failure, for there the Customs Clauses appear in the Act which is the Indian Merchandise Marks Act No. 4 of 1889 and it is therefore difficult to see why dependencies, such as the Straits Settlement and Hong Kong should not pass such Ordinances as will give traders on the mother Country, whose querances have been acknowledged by Courts over and over again and for whose benefit such legislation has taken place.
I have the honor to return the Ordinance which Your Lordship was good enough to send to me. I have the honor to be My Lord
Your Lordship's most obedient Servant
Helmsthughes
The Right Honorable
The Lord Knutsford
Secretary of State for the Colonies
Colonial Office Downing Street