§ MR. J. C. FLYNNI beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign 1252 Affairs whether the United States has an important herring fishery as well as a mackerel fishery; and, if so, whether the Foreign Office would use its good offices with the Government of that country with a view to reducing the Import Duty on cured mackerel to an equality with that on cured herring?
§ *THE UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS (Sir E. GREY,) Northumberland, BerwickAs I stated the other day, the United States Government have arranged these Duties to suit their view of their own interests, and no good result could be obtained by making any representation to them.
§ MR. FLYNNAre we to understand that a Public Department takes no interest in an important Irish industry of this kind, and will not even make a representation on the matter?
§ *SIR E. GREYsaid, the Government had no ground on which to make a representation. The only ground would be the interests of the United States themselves.
§ MR. FLYNNsaid that was the ground on which he desired to ask a question. The hon. Baronet stated the other day that the United States Government, having a mackerel fishery of their own, differentiated against mackerel that was imported. They had, however, a herring fishery also, although the duty on imported herrings was much less than on imported mackerel. Would it not, therefore, be possible to make a representation in favour of reducing the duty on mackerel?
§ *SIR E. GREYsaid the United States Government made the difference in the Duties to suit their interests, of which they themselves were the only judges. Therefore, he was unable to make any representation to them on the matter.