§ 63. Mr. R. McNEILLasked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware that the cubic measurement of space occupied by 1 ton of hops is equal to that occupied, respectively, by 5 tons of maize, 5 2/5 tons of wheat, 5 tons of flour, 4½ tons of feeding-cake linseed, 4⅔ tons of cotton cake, 5½ tons of oil cake, 6 tons of guano, 7½ tons of nitrate of soda, and 5¼ tons of refined sugar; and whether, in view of the cost and difficulty of obtaining sufficient quantities of these foodstuffs and fertilisers and the national importance of limiting, so far as possible, the available tonnage to the carrying of 695 goods of necessity rather than of luxury, he will prohibit the importation of foreign hops, which employ an amount of tonnage out of all proportion to the utility of the cargo?
Mr. RUNCIMANIn considering the advisability of restricting the importation of goods, in order to secure more shipping tonnage for the carriage of necessities, the relation of bulk to weight is of course a consideration to be taken into account, and the comparative estimate given by the hon. and learned Gentleman will be borne in mind.