§ SIR LYON PLAYFAIR (Leeds, South)I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for the Colonies, whether in stating that the Colonies approved of the Sugar Convention at the meeting of the Conference on 5th April, 1888, he alluded to the Draft Convention presented by himself on 19 December, 1887, or the final Convention, as altered by the negotiations, and signed 30th August, 1888: Whether the Draft Convention contained the severe penal Clause 7, or the prohibition to Colonies to place differential duties on beet sugar: And whether the Colonies have expressed their approval of the Convention in its final form; and if so whether he will furnish the House with the terms in which this approval has been given?
§ BARON H. DE WORMSIn answer to the right hon. Gentleman's question, I have to say that it is evident that I could not have submitted to the Colonies in December, 1887, the final convention, which only came into existence in August, 1888. At the close of the first session of the Conference in December, 1887, the Draft Convention was submitted to the Colonies together with the Minutes of all the meetings to that date. The Minutes of December 16 contain the proposal of the Spanish delegates relative to the penal clause afterwards, with some modifications adopted, and as I stated on April 5, India and all the Colonies with the exception of Tasmania and New South Wales, which had not then replied, accepted the Convention. After the Convention was signed on August 30, it, together with all the other Papers and Minutes, was sent to the Colonies, and no objection has since been raised by any of them.
§ SIR LYON PLAYFAIRDo I rightly understand that no formal approval on the part of any of the Colonies has yet been received?
§ BARON H. DE WORMSI can add nothing to the answer I have given, which is perfectly clear.