§ MR. WAITasked the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Whether any progress has been made in the ratification of the Convention on Sugar Bounties, agreed to by the delegates of the four contracting countries nearly a year ago, or whether, the time stipulated for ratification having long since expired, Her Majesty's Government propose to renew negotiations for the abolition of Bounties on the export of Sugar from France, Belgium, and Holland, and to include in such negotiations Austria and Russia, where also largo Bounties are given; and, whether Her Majesty's Government have received any further complaints of the operation and extension of the Foreign Bounty system on account of increasing injury thereby inflicted on the British Sugar Colonies?
§ MR. BOURKEThe Netherlands Government raised objections to the terms of the draft Convention prepared last year by the delegates of Great Britain, Belgium, France, and the Netherlands. Communications are still passing between the four Powers with the view to the signature of a fresh Sugar Convention; and Her Majesty's Representatives continue to take such steps in the matter as they properly can. There is no reason to think that the Governments of Austria and Russia would be willing to join the four Powers in the proposed Sugar Convention. The West India Committee has continued to call the attention of Her Majesty's Government to the injury occasioned to the West India Sugar Colonies by the foreign bounty system.