§ Motion made, and Question proposed, "That the Clause stand part of the Bill."
§ Mr. HOPEThe explanation of the Financial Secretary on the last Clause 1050 was so lucid that I invite him to explain this Clause. For example, what is meant by "exhausted tea." The Committee learned a great deal from his last speech and I hope they will learn as much from his coming speech.
Mr. GRAHAMThe Committee will not ask me for a long explanation of this Clause because the point is comparatively simple. It has arisen because of the existence of the Irish Free State as a separate country and we require to make this arrangement in order to maintain freedom of trade between this country and the Irish Free State. It simply amounts to this in practice, that it saves blenders in London, which is a very important centre of the tea trade, from collecting the tea from different warehouses; it shortens the process of blending and it enables the quick delivery of the Irish tea to be maintained and thus, an important part of our trade with that country is safeguarded. As regards the expression "exhausted tea," I understand that it simply indicates the introduction of leaf which is already exhausted, a fraudulent process against which we must take precautions. That is the whole explanation of this Clause which is necessary, as any representative of the tea trade will inform the Committee, in order that the industry may be freely carried on.