MR. JAMES LOWTHER (Kent, Thanet)To ask the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he has any information to the effect that the 866 Government of the British Colony of Newfoundland is proposing to enter into a treaty with the United States of America, by which the Colony binds itself not to accord any preferential trading facilities to goods from the Mother Country or other portions of the British Empire; and, if so, whether the Imperial Government will withhold its consent from such a provision.
(Answered by Mr. Secretary Chamberlain.) The Convention which has been signed does not contain any general stipulation of the nature set forth in the question. Article IV. gives a list of articles which, while the Convention is in force, are to be admitted into Newfoundland free of duty, and a further list of articles upon which the rate of duty is not to exceed a specified amount, while Article V. provides that "if any reduction is made by the Colony of Newfoundland at any time during the term of the Convention, in the rate of duty upon the articles named in Article IV. of this Convention, the said reduction of duty shall apply to the United States." The articles specified are flour, pork, bacon, hams and tongues, smoked beef and sausages, beef, pigs' heads, hocks and feet (salted and cured), Indian meal, peas, oatmeal, rice, kerosine oil.