§ MR. KILBRIDE (Kildare, S.)To ask the President of the Board of Trade whether he can state the weight and value in sterling of flax line yarns and flax tow yarns imported into England, Scotland, and Ireland, respectively, during the last five years from France and Belgium.
(Answered by Mr. Gerald Balfour.) No distinction is made in the import list between flax line yarns and flax tow yarns, both being classified as linen yarns. The following statement shows the imports of linen yarns from Belgium and France into England, Scotland, and Ireland, respectively, during the five years ended 31st December, 1903:—
(Answered by Mr. Gerald Balfour.) As I informed the hon. Member for the Bassetlaw Division on Wednesday last,† the 25 per cent. rebate given by the Dominion of Canada began on the 1st August, 1898, and the 33⅓ per cent. rebate on 1st July, 1900. The values of the exports of domestic produce and manufacture from Germany, Belgium, and the United States to the British North American Colonies, as shown in the† See page, 840.1211 official trade statistics of these countries, in each of the years from 1897 to 1902
| Year. | From Germany. | From Belgium. | From United States (years ended 30th June). |
| £ | £ | £ | |
| 1897 | 838,000 | 390,000 | 12,580,000 |
| 1898 | 1,195,000 | 452,000 | 16,580,000 |
| 1899 | 1,187,000 | 503,000 | 17,426,000 |
| 1900 | 1,000,000 | 631,000 | 18,990,000 |
| 1901 | 1,325,000 | 453,000 | 21,033,000 |
| 1902 | 1,937,000 | 366,000 | 21,923,000 |