§ SIR ROBERT ROPNER (Stockton)To ask the First Lord of the Treasury whether, in view of the fact that as a result of his reception on the 6th March, 1888, of a deputation representative of port authorities on the subject of charging harbour dues on certain goods upon which the Government were claiming exemption under Section 28 of the harbours, Docks, and Piers Clauses Act, 1847, the wishes of the harbour authorities were conceded so fir as coal and materials for Indian State railways were concerned, and having regard to the continuing pecuniary loss in their revenue sustained yearly by harbour authorities, he will further extend the exemption from payment granted in the year 1888, by placing every description of material for public works in India and the Colonies on the same footing with respect to payment of harbour dues as coal and materials for the Indian State railways.
(Answered by Mr. A. J. Balfour.) I have consulted the Departments concerned in the inquiry of my hon. friend, they are the India Office and the Colonial Office, and I am advised that in their judgment it would not be expedient to extend the concession made in 1888 by placing all descriptions of material for public works in India and the Colonies on the same footing with respect to payment of harbour dues as coal and materials for State railways.