§ MR. WATT (Glasgow, Camlachie)asked the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, If he will instruct the Consul General at Caracas to make representations to the Government of Venezuela, with reference to the prohibition at present in force against the importation into the United States of Venezuela of such important articles of commerce as salt, matches, candles, dynamite, tobacco, wearing apparel, and many other articles, as also to obtain, if possible, the withdrawal of the tariff recently imposed on all goods imported, which has paralyzed the West Indian trade with that country?
§ THE UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE (Sir JAMES FERGUSSON) (Manchester, N.E.)Her Majesty's Government are only entitled by Treaty to claim -in Venezuela the treatment of the most favoured nation. Unless, therefore, it can be shown that British goods have been less favourably treated than those from other countries, there does not appear to be, in the circumstances stated, any ground for diplomatic representations. With regard to the 30 per cent duty on European goods transhipped at Trinidad to which reference is presumably made in the latter part of the Question, Her Majesty's Government are at present in negotiation with a view to the abolition of this surcharge.