§ 25. Mr. HERBERT WILLIAMSasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Overseas Trade. Department the amount of brandy produced during each of the last five years in Palestine, Australia and the Union of South Africa; and whether these countries impose any restrictions as to maturity before brandy can be exported?
§ Mr. ORMSBY-GOREI have been asked to answer this question. I regret that the information at my disposal does not enable me to state the amount of brandy produced in the countries in question but only the amount of locally produced brandy exported from those countries. I will circulate the figures in the OFFICIAL REPORT. In reply to the last part of the question, Section 12 of the Spirits Act, 1906, of the Commonwealth of Australia provides that no spirits distilled in Australia may be delivered from the control of the Customs unless they have been matured in wood for a period of not less than two years. In the Union of South Africa a maturity of three years is required by Customs regulation. I regret that I have no information as to the provisions, if any, which are in force on this point in Palestine. Cyprus is also a brandy-producing country.
§ Mr. HARRISDoes this Empire Marketing Board propose to ask people to drink Empire brandy, and, if so, can they-guarantee its quality?
§ Mr. ORMSBY-GOREThe Empire Marketing Board does not aim at advertising specific commodities but, generally speaking, it would be to the advantage of this country and of our oversea possessions if people would consume British Empire wines, and brandy would be included under that heading.
§ Mr. WILLIAMSIs the hon. Gentleman aware whether Empire brandy is sold in the bars of the House of Commons?
§ Following are the figures:—
§ Export of brandy (domestic produce only) from the Commonwealth of Australia, the Union of South Africa and Palestine.
§ Commonwealth of Australia:
| Year. | Gallons. | |||
| 1921–1922 | … | … | … | 1,420 |
| 1922–1923 | … | … | … | 1,319 |
| 1923–1924 | … | … | … | 453 |
| 1924–1925 | … | … | … | 440 |
| 1925–1926 | … | … | … | 444 |
§ Union of South Africa:
| Year. | Gallons. | ||||
| 1922 | … | … | … | … | 1,347 |
| 1923 | … | … | … | … | 761 |
| 1924 | … | … | … | … | 788 |
| 1925 | … | … | … | … | 3,151 |
| 1926 | … | … | … | … | 1,043 |
§ Palestine:
| Year. | Litres. | ||||
| 1924 | … | … | … | … | 34,378 |
| 1925 | … | … | … | … | 32,173 |
| 1926 | … | … | … | … | 30,869 |
§ Note.—The corresponding figures for the years 1922 and 1923 in regard to Palestine are not available in the Colonial Office.