§ MR. LEVERTON HARRIS (Tower Hamlets, Stepney)To ask the President of the Board of Trade why in the Colonial Statistical Abstract, the imports of machinery into Victoria are made to include agricultural implements in the years 1901 and 1902, but exclude them in the year 1899 and 1900.
(Answered by Mr. Lloyd-George) The hon. Member is probably alluding to the figures published in the Colonial Abstract for 1902, in which the figures given for the imports of machinery into Victoria incorrectly included agricultural implements in 1901 and 1902. These figures, which were published as returned by the Colonial authorities, were subsequently revised, and if the hon. Member will consult the issue of the same Abstract for 1903, he will see, that the imports of 595 agricultural implements were excluded from the figures of the total imports of machinery in all the years included in that issue. I should perhaps add that the preliminary figures for 1903 given in the volume referred to have also been subsequently revised, and that the final figures for the imports of machinery, exclusive of agricultural implements, into Victoria in the years 1899 to 1903 are as follows:—In 1899, £244,696; 1900, £213,795; 1901, £366.318; 1902, £366,469; 1903, £377,081. I shall be happy to furnish the hon. Member with the details if they interest him.