§ Mr. Groganbegged to put a question to the right hon. Gentleman the Vice President of the Board of Trade on the subject of the importation of American salted meat into the ports of this country. He had received information that such meat, which had been cured in the United States, was conveyed in large quantities into Canada, and thence shipped to this country under the name of Canadian provisions. He understood that a great deal of American salted meat had been imported into the port of Liverpool. He begged to ask the right hon. Gentleman whether this were done with the knowledge and concurrence of her Majesty's Government.
Mr. Gladstonehad not received any information on the subject, but he was sure that the statements upon which the question of his hon. Friend were founded must be incorrect. At least they were in direct contradiction to the decision to which the Government had come. The Government had decided, and it was so provided in the Provisions Bill, that provisions which had undergone any part of the process of curing, in any country, should be considered as the produce of that country, and not of the countries from which it should happen to be directly imported. In order that meat should be admitted into this country as Canadian, it was necessary that every part of the process of curing should have taken place in Canada, and Government had given strict instructions to the revenue officers to that effect. If, however, the hon. Gentleman wished for any official information on the subject, there would be no objection to give him any returns which he might wish to move for with a view to that information.