§ 82. Lieut.-Colonel HURSTasked the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he is aware of the injury caused to Lancashire trade by the greatly-increased import duties placed upon cotton goods in French possessions in North and West Africa, Indo-China, and Madagascar; and whether he will bring this grievance within the sphere of such negotiations as may take place at the next conference between Great Britain and France?
Mr. HARMSWORTHThe answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. His Majesty's Government have already made representations on the subject of these duties to the French Government, but the latter do not see their way to reduce them. I fear it would be impracticable to include this matter in the sphere of any conference dealing with entirely different questions.