§ GENERAL SIR GEORGE BALFOURasked the Under Secretary of State for India, To state the rate of Duty charged on jewellery imported into India and amount of Duty collected in the last full year the Duty was in force on jewellery; whether, since the Duty was taken off, the imports of jewellery have largely increased; and, whether the Government of India has refunded to stock holders of jewellery, at the date the Duty was taken off, a drawback for the Duties previously paid, in order to put the holders on a fair position with the holders of free imported jewellery?
§ MR. J. K. CROSSSir, the rate of duty charged on jewellery imported into India in 1881–2—the last full year in which the duty was in force—was 5 per cent, and the gross amount of duty collected was £2,983. Precious stones and unset pearls were admitted free. The total value of duty-paying jewellery was, in 1880–1, £47,954; in 1881–2, £58,424; and in the first 11 months of 1882–3, £121,067. The value of precious stones imported in these throe periods was £368,218, £242,363, and £168,865 respectively. The Government of India have never refunded drawbacks to holders of stocks of jewellery on account of alterations of the Tariff.