§ 24. Mr. A. M. SAMUELasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Overseas Trade Department whether he has any information as to the reported impending public issue in England of a loan by Brazil; whether the money is for financing the valorisation and export of Brazilian coffee for the benefit of Brazilian owners or for the purchase of British goods; and, if for the latter, will he say whether the British Government has obtained any relaxation of the prohibitory import duties imposed by Brazil against our goods?
§ Earl WINTERTONI understand that negotiations for such a loan have been proceeding, but I have no official in- 1543 formation on the subject. The Brazilian Government have not extended to imports from this country the preferential duties accorded to imports from certain other countries.
§ Mr. SAMUELAs I see the President of the Board of Trade on the Treasury Bench, may I ask him why his Department is persuading us manufacturers to go to considerable expense to exhibit our wares at the Centenary Exhibition at Rio de Janeiro, when we are prevented from selling our goods, from those exhibited samples, by the action of the Brazilian Government in imposing prohibitory duties against British goods?
§ Mr. SPEAKERThat does not arise.