§ Mr. HUNTasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he has any statistics showing whether Great Britain under the free sections of the Australian tariff has lost ground; whether on items on which she has preference she has gained; whether on the total trade she has gained because the amount gained under the preference items of the tariff has been sufficient to counteract the loss under the free and general tariff; and whether, if so, he is prepared to advocate preferential trade with Australia at the coming Colonial Conference?
Mr. BUXTONThe Australian Preference dates from 1907 and detailed figures with regard to Australian trade are only available for the complete years 1908 and 1909. Comparing the figuress for those two years, the imports from the United Kingdom increased by £767,000; the in- 599 crease in goods which secured preferential treatment was £435,000, and in other goods £332,000.