§ MR. MACIVERasked, What was the present position of the surtaxe d'entrepôt question with reference to the French Commercial Treaty negotiations; and, whether Her Majesty's Government would take care that no Commercial Treaty should be concluded under which importations of foreign produce in the ports of Great Britain would continue to be subjected to heavier duties than when they were imported into France direct?
§ SIR CHARLES W. DILKESir, the surtaxe d'entrepôt was one of about 10 questions which lay outside the Tariff, but came within the range of discussion. The instructions of the French Commissioners only justified them in dis- 1902 cussing the Tariff. We ourselves raised these eight or ten questions; the Protocols will show the statement made by us, but the French Commissioners made no detailed statement in reply, although they seemed inclined to pay attention to some of the demands we made.
MR. MAC IVERgave Notice that he would repeat his Question a fortnight hence, and would move the Adjournment of the House if he did not get a satisfactory reply regarding the French Treaty negotiations generally.