§ Mr. Thornelyhad a question to put to the right hon. Gentleman, the President of the Board of Trade, with respect to the intended alterations of duty on the importation of wheat and flour from Canada. As the law at present stood, wheat was admitted into Canada and the British possessions in North America free of duty, and if ground to flour, it was admitted into the United Kingdom at a duty varying according to a sliding-scale from 1s. to 5s. But wheat imported into the United Kingdom from Canada required to be accompanied by a certificate that it was the produce of Canada, or of some of our possessions in North America. The question he wished to put was this, whether, in the proposed alteration in the laws relating to the importation of Canadian corn, it was intended that wheat imported from thence into the United Kingdom should be admitted for consumption at a rate of 1s., whether it was the produce of Canada or of a foreign country; and he would also ask this other question—whether, if this privilege was to be granted to Canada, it would be extended to Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and our other American settlements.
Mr. GladstoneThe hon. Gentleman had correctly stated the provisions of the law as it at present stood. No Canadian wheat could be imported into this country at present without a certificate that it was the produce of the colony; and all he had to say, in answer to the hon. Gentleman was, that it was not intended to make any alteration in the law in that respect; therefore wheat imported into Canada could not be entered into this country. With respect to the second question, he had merely to observe, that the resolutions of which notice had been given, referred only to the case of Canada; and the bill to be founded upon them must therefore be confined to Canada.
§ Mr. Labouchereintended to put another question to the right hon. Gentleman opposite. As the law now stood, wheat flour, imported from Canada must bring] with it a certificate of having been ground in Canada? He wished to know if it was intended to do away with this restriction, and enable flour, ground in the United Stales, after it had crossed the Canadian border, and had thus become in a manner naturalised, to be imported into this country at the colonial duty.
Mr. Gladstonereplied, it was not intended to make any change in the law with respect to the certificates of produce.