§ 34. Mr. ORMSBY - GOREasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether his attention has been drawn to the criticism, made at a recent meeting 2013 of the Niger Company, by the hon. W. H. Lever, on British Colonial policy in West Africa, whereby the British West Africans oil trade with the Continent of Europe has been placed in an impossible position; whether British kernel products can only be landed at Continental ports at about £9 per ton, whereas the French product can be sold at £5 per ton; and whether he is in a position to indicate the steps he proposes to take to meet this serious economic situation?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLYes, Sir, my attention has been drawn to the remarks in question. Palm kernels from British West African Colonies to the Continent are subject to a special differential export duty of £2 a ton, which applies to all palm kernels not shipped to and landed in a port of the Empire. The object of imposing this duty was that there should be an inducement to send the kernels to British ports, in order to encourage the supply of the raw material for British manufacturers. I will consider the question of removing the duty, in the interests of British West African trade, on receipt of the views of the Governments of the British West African Colonies on the recommendations of the Committee on Trade and Taxation for British West Africa. I may add that the Committee did not recommend the removal of the revenue export duty levied in Nigeria.