MR. GIBSON BOWLESI beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, do His Majesty's Government propose to claim for British postal packages sent to China exemption from the legal charge of import duty thereon; and, if so, do they propose to make the claim in the case of China alone, or to extend it to all other countries; and can he state by what means postal packages sent to China from France and Germany have escaped payment of import duties; and whether His Majesty's Government propose that similar methods of escape should be adopted for British packages.
§ *LORD CRANBORNEIn reply to my hon, friend's Question, I have nothing to add to the statement which I made on the 24th instant, † except that His Majesty's Government have instructed His Majesty's Ambassadors at Paris and Berlin to make enquiry as to the intentions of the French and German Postal Authorities in the matter.
MR. GIBSON BOWLESCan the noble Lord say whether the Government propose to adopt the means of escape adopted by other countries?
§ *LORD CRANBORNEWe had better wait until we get replies to our inquiries.