§ MR. HERBERT SAMUEL (Yorkshire, Cleveland)To ask the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether the Return relating to systems of graduated and differentiated income-tax in British Colonies, ordered on 11th August, 1904, will be presented before the Budget discussions begin; and whether this Return can be published simultaneously with the similar information relating to foreign countries which the Undersecretary for Foreign Affairs undertook, on 10th August, 1904, that the Foreign Office would endeavour to obtain.
(Answered by Mr. Secretary Lyttelton.) Replies to the circular despatch asking for these Returns have been received from some of the Colonies, but several of the more important, including Canada, New Zealand, and some of the Australian States, have not yet answered. I am consequently unable to say when these Returns will be ready, but I am telegraphing to ask that they may be sent to me as soon as possible. I fear that there is no probability of their reaching me in time to be published with the Foreign Office Returns