§ 3. Mr. RAPERasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Overseas Trade Department if he is aware that the Peace Treaty stipulated that duties on goods imported into Germany were to remain the same as hitherto in force for a period of six months after the ratification of Peace, and that on the strength of this assurance British manufacturers and merchants have sent large quantities of merchandise into the occupied territory, on some of which the duty on the old basis has been paid; whether he is aware of the fact that the Peace Commission has given permission to the German Government to charge duty on a gold basis on a large quantity of goods that arrived immediately prior to the ratification of Peace or shortly afterwards, and that this has in many instances so increased the cost of the goods as to make the sale of the same impossible; and whether, in view of the hardship thereby caused to British manufacturers and merchants, he will take steps to ensure that the new duty on a gold basis shall not affect any goods which were landed in Cologne before the 1st February?
§ The PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY to the BOARD OF TRADE (Mr. Bridgeman)The hon. Member's reference to the Treaty of Peace is, I think, somewhat misleading. Article 269 of that instrument provides that for six months after its coming into force, and for thirty-six months in the case of certain specified goods, the duties leviable shall not be higher than those applied to imports into Germany on 31st July, 1914, at which date, as the hon. Member will be aware, duties were payable on a gold basis. It was in view of this provision that the Supreme Council authorised the collection of duties on a gold basis from January 1st in the occupied territory. The question of the treatment to be accorded to goods in areas where hardships may have been involved is under consideration.