MADE IN GERMANY-"

Gisborne Times, Volume IX, Issue 831, 4 March 1903, Page 3

MADE IN GERMANY-"

DISHONEST TRADE PRACTICES

Tlio Customs authorities of New Zea land recently intercepted and confiscated, on arrival at various ports hero, consignments of cigarettes, packed so as to resemble the famous Vanity Fair brand. Those goods were being imported from Germany—in fact, a previous consignment had been landed and placed on the market —and on it being shown to the satisfaction of the Customs Department that tlio packages were colorable imita tions of the “ fragrant Vanity Fair ” brand prompt measures were taken for the confiscation of importations. The exposure is one that will tend to increase the prejudico against goods “ made in Ger many.” These methods of some foreign manufacturers are most reprehensible, and it is to be hoped that no New Zealand trader will either he duped by these un scrupulous persons or will connive at their ways of doing business. It was a most daring idea to pirate the cover of a brand of cigarettes that have been sold in New Zealand since 1875, and which are protected under the Trade Marks Eegistration law ; but, thanks to the acumen and vigilance of the Customs officials, the public are protected from having an inferior article foisted upon them, and at the same time the proprietors of Vanity Fair cigarettes have not been robbed of the groat reputation they have gained or of tho legitimate profits of thoir enterprise. It was only recently that Mr Justice Williams gave one of tho most full and clear decisions ever given in a trado mark : case, in favor of tho proprietors of tho Vanity Fair cigarettes against a Southern | manufacturer, wherein ho stated: 1 '• Knowing that the fragrant Vanity Fair I 1 cigarettes had a groit reputation he used a wrapper similar to tho Vanity Fair wrapper, with the intentfon of imitating tho plaintiffs' get-up, in order that the defendant s goods might be mistaken for the goods of the plaintiffs." And now wo havo a similar caso “made in Germany.” This is proof of She high quality of Vanity Fair cigarettes, but it is also evidence of what the proprietors of a trade mark have to contend with, owing to unscrupulous people selecting a favorite brand and endeavoring to foist on the unwary purchaser a low grade of goods to make money. Tho law in Groat Britain is stringent in suppressing the sale of any article under a name or guise which might make it liable to bo mistaken for some widelyknown article of the same character, and the New Zealand Customs Department is to be congratulated upon stamping out such practices.