§ MR. HAROLD COX (Preston)I beg to ask the Under-Secretary of State for India whether he is aware that, under the present Indian tariff, alcohol, sulphur, saltpetre, borax, hides, skins, pitch, tar, stone, marble, cement, lime, flax, hemp, and silk, and all sorts of dyeing and tanning materials, are subject to a 5 per cent. tax; and whether the articles so taxed are regarded by the Indian Government as raw materials or as manufactured articles.
§ MR. BUCHANANThe Answer to the first Question is in the affirmative. With regard to the second Question, the Indian Trade Returns show some of the articles in question under the head of raw materials and others under other heads. I have no other information as to how they are regarded by the Government of India.
§ MR. HAROLD COXIs the hon. Gentleman aware that a distinguished ex-Viceroy has recently suggested that this tariff should be applied to this country?
§ MR. BUCHANANI am afraid I cannot answer that.
§ MR. HUNTasked if the salt extracted from the sea by the Indian natives for their own use was treated as a manufactured article.
§ MR. BUCHANANIt is not imported into India.
§ * MR. SPEAKERThat does not arise out of the Question on the Paper.