§ "There shall lie allowed on all roasted coffee exported which is not mixed with chicory or any other substance a drawback on every full 100 lb. thereof equal to the import duty for the time being on 1 cwt. of raw coffee, and the words 'a drawback shall be allowed on all roasted coffee exported as ships' stores equal in amount to the import duty on raw coffee' contained under the head 'coffee' in the schedule to the Customs Tariff Act 1876, are hereby repealed."
§ He said that last year lie introduced an influential deputation to the Chancellor of the Exchequer, which pointed out that the London coffee trade was diminishing while that of Continental ports was increasing. The right hon. Gentleman held out no hope of a repeal of the coffee duty, but he expressed himself sympathetically on some of the grievances which were brought forward. One of these was that coffee could not be roasted in this country for export, for while, since 1876, the duty was refunded on roasted coffee which was exported for ships' stores, it was not refunded on coffee exported for foreign consumption. Another grievance was that the duty refunded on coffee exported for ships' stores was calculated at the rate of the duty paid on raw coffee, and no less than 20 per cent. of the coffee was lost in the roasting. His new clause would meet both the points he had mentioned.
§ Clause read the First time.
§ *THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUERsaid that he had promised to consider this question, and the Customs officials had assured him that the clause 771 proposed. by the hon. Member would involve no injury to the revenue, and might give facilities to the coffee trade. Therefore he was willing to accept the clause. ["Hear!"]
§ Clause read a Second time, and ordered to stand part of the Bill.
§ MR. GIBSON BOWLES moved the following new clause:—