§ MR. NIELD (Middlesex, Eating)To ask the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is aware that, by the action of the South African Customs Convention, certain new duties were simultaneously passed and became law throughout British South Africa as from mid-day on May 25th last, and that a duty of 6d. per pound was placed on skimmed condensed milk which had hitherto entered South Africa under a duty of 2s. per case, valued at 12s. 6d., whereas the new duty imposed is 24s. per case; that the trade in this article, almost wholly in the hands of British merchants, averaging from 30,000 to 40,000 cases per month, is in danger of destruction, and that, contrary to the established practice, no previous intimation was given of the proposed increase of duty, and no provision made for the clearance at the old duty of shipments in transit, approximating 35,000 cases, which will be prohibited entrance except at the new duty; and, if so, will he use his influence with the Colonial Governments to permit shipments in transit at the time of the imposition of the extra duty to be admitted at the old rate.
(Answered by Mr. Churchill.) The Secretary of State is aware of the increase of duty alluded to by the hon. Member. Representations as to the hardship of collecting the new duty on cargoes in transit were communicated to the South African Governments, and collection was postponed till July 1st subject to sufficient proof being given that importations prior to that date were kept within the limits of contracts entered into before May 20th on which date the increased duties provided for by the new Customs Convention came into force.