HC Deb 19 May 1887 vol 315 cc521-2
LORD CLAUD HAMILTON (Liverpool, West Derby)

asked the First Lord of the Treasury, Whether Her Majesty's Government have received any official information in regard to the proposals, as reported by cable, of the Dominion Government to increase the import duties on pig iron by 100 per cent, on bar iron by 150 per cent, and on puddled bars by 350 per cent; and, if these reports are correet, whether Her Majesty's Government will use their good offices with the Dominion Government to procure a modification of proposals, which, if carried into effect, would prove highly detrimental to the iron trade of this country?

THE FIRST LORD (Mr. W. H. SMITH) (Strand, Westminister)

Her Majesty's Government have not received any official information in regard to any such proposals as these mentioned by my noble Friend; but the Government would not be justified in making any official representation on the subject to the Government of the Dominion, oven if such information had been received. Any representations should be addressed to the Dominion Government by parties who may be affected by the fiscal policy of Canada.