§ 20. Sir BERKELEY SHEFFIELDasked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will give figures showing the imports and exports of wine and other alcoholic beverages into and out of the Bahamas from 1918 to 1923?
§ Mr. ORMSBY-GOREThe following statement shows the imports of wine and other alcoholic beverages into the Bahamas from 1918 to 1922:
As regards exports or re-exports the figures available do not distinguish between alcoholic beverages and other commodities included in the classification comprising live animals, foods, drinks and narcotics. The total re-exports of articles falling within this classification were negligible up to 1920, and amounted to £144,988 in 1921 and to £1,582,706 in 1922.
Wines. Spirits. £ £ 1918 … … 867 6,370 1919 … … 2,220 43,143 1920 … … 18,004 272,970 1921 … … 20,459 478,896 1922 … … 27,262 1,003,721
§ Sir B. SHEFFIELDHow much of this increase is due to prohibition in America?
§ Mr. ORMSBY-GOREI should say practically the whole of it.
§ Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHYWill the hon. Gentleman consider rationing these British Possessions as we ourselves rationed neutral countries during our blockade of Germany?
§ Mr. ORMSBY-GOREPractically the whole of this is not consumed in the Bahamas, but is re-exported.
§ Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHYYes, but would it not be a good thing if we rationed the Bahamas in order to keep on good terms with the United States?
§ Mr. ORMSBY-GOREI certainly should do nothing to interfere with British trade. If we attempt to do that, they will merely go to Hayti or some other convenient island belonging to another nation.