§ 22. Mr. WIGNALLasked the President of the Board of Trade whether the Gov- 1708 ernment is still continuing to purchase Australian zinc concentrates; if so, what tonnage has been acquired and paid for from 1st January to 31st October, 1920; what stocks are held by the Government, either in this country or Australia; and what steps are being taken by the Government to purchase the home production of zinc concentrates on as favourable terms as are being paid to the Australian Commonwealth producers?
§ Sir P. LLOYD-GREAMEThe Government are under agreement to purchase Australian zinc concentrates for a period of ten years next following the declaration of peace, but production has been suspended at Broken Hill during the past 12 months owing to a strike, and no concentrates have been acquired since 1st January, 1920. Stocks of concentrates are held in Australia by His Majesty's Government amounting to 503,000 tons. As regards the last part of the question, I am not prepared to recommend any extension of the buying operations of His Majesty's Government.
§ Mr. WIGNALLMay I ask, in view of the serious condition of the spelter trade, whether the zinc concentrates from Australia are likely to be imported for use in this country, or have all the stocks accumulated on the other side?
§ Sir P. LLOYD-GREAMEWe shall certainly make use of them as we can get them. As I have explained, the production is being suspended owing to the strike there, but we shall certainly make the best possible use of any of these concentrates that we are under contract to buy.
§ Mr. WIGNALLIs it not a fact that there are enormous stocks in Australia at the present time awaiting shipment, and is the hon. and gallant Gentleman aware that the whole of the spelter trade of this country has been closed down for the last three or four months for want of raw material?
§ Sir P. LLOYD-GREAMEI will go into that question, but I think there are a good many other considerations affecting the spelter trade besides this precise contract in Australia.