22nd October, 1915.
GEO.
RICHARDSON & CO., LTD.,
462
The Right Hon. A. Bonar Law,
2
SHEET No.
efforts in the growth and development of the business have been, we can fairly say, mainly contributed by us.
In the Hong Kong Piece Goods trade, the chop, ticket or trade
mark as it is variously termed, under which a cloth is sold, is of great
importance, and our business has been done with the various enemy firme
under their own trade marks.
Many of these trade marks are not registered in England, but
the variaus firms we should say will have acquired a "right of user"
under the Merchandise Marks Act.
We have no legal rights in these trade marks, nor has it been
necessary hitherto that we should have any, so much go that to avoid the
possibility of any jealousy arising with different clients, we have
rarely used our own trade marks when we could have done.
So long as these firms were in active existence our interests
in the trade marks were respected by reason of our relations being so
interdependent.
As an instance of this we have done business with Messrs Siemesen
& Co. and with Messrs Arnhold Karberg & Co. for over 40 years.
Whilst the Ordinance was intended for the general good of British
interests, the enforced liquidation has most seriously affected our trade,
We desire therefore to purchase the goodwill &/or certain trade
marks so that we may transfer the business done under them to British
firms.