§ Mr. CROFTasked the Under Secretary for the Colonies if he could state the total value of exports from Great Britain to Canada in the year preceding the granting of preference and the total value of exports to the Dominion in the last completed year?
§ The PRESIDENT of the BOARD of TRADE (Mr. Buxton)A Customs preference was first accorded by the Dominion Government to British goods in 1897. The exports to Canada of the produce and manufacture of the United Kingdam in 1896 were of a declared value of £5,352,000. In 1909 their declared value was £15,688,000—an increase of 193 per cent. Meanwhile the total imports of merchandise into Canada from all sources have, of course, very largely increased.
§ Mr. CROFTMay we take it that that represents, as a result of the preference, an increase of £5,000,000 per annum in wages to the British working classes?
§ Mr. BUXTONI should like to have notice of that question.
§ Mr. BOLANDDo those figures include exports from Ireland as Great Britain only is mentioned?
§ Mr. BUXTONThe United Kingdom.