§ MR. HOWARD VINCENT (Sheffield, Central)I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade if the Report of the Treaties Committee has been received, upon the representations of the Agents General of the self-governing colonies, and of the Imperial Federation League, as to the importance of annulling the clause in the Treaty with Belgium of 1862, and the Treaty with Germany of 1865, precluding the conclusion of preferential commercial arrangements between the Mother Country and the colonies, or between any other portion of the Empire, except between the Colonies of Australasia; and, in such case, if he has any objection to state the nature of the recommendation of the Committee, and the decision of the Government upon the subject?
§ SIR MICHAEL HICKS BEACHI can only inform my hon. Friend that the second Report of the Trade and Treaties Committee has just been received, and is now under the consideration of Her Majesty's Government. I must not be understood as admitting the accuracy of my hon. Friend's interpretation of the effect of the two Treaties to which he refers.