HC Deb 06 July 1931 vol 254 cc1694-6
9 and 10. Mr. DOUGLAS HACKING

asked the Secretary of State for India (1) whether he has yet received a report from the Government of India regarding the action taken to prohibit the circulation by Congress agents of letters of covenant demanding that merchants shall cease to deal in foreign piece goods;

(2) whether he has yet received the report from the Government of India regarding the resolution recently passed by the working committee of Congress insisting upon complete prohibition both of the sale of existing stocks and of the importation of any further stocks of foreign cloth; and, if so, what action he proposes to take?

16. Mr. HAMMERSLEY

asked the Secretary of State for India if he can give the House any further information on the boycott of British goods in India?

Mr. BENN

I regret that I have not yet received from the Government of India the reports that I am expecting; and at the moment, therefore, I have nothing to add to the answers previously given. In regard, however, to the general effect of the boycott, I am circulating figures showing the relative imports since October of British and Japanese piece goods.

Mr. HACKING

Has the right hon. Gentleman seen the resolution passed by Congress, and does he not agree that it is a breach of the Irwin-Gandhi agreement?

Mr. BENN

The right hon. Gentleman knows that we are communicating with the Government of India with a view-to taking what action is best in the circumstances. That is the reason for the delay, and that is why I ask the right hon. Gentleman to exercise a little patience despite the considerable delay.

Mr. HACKING

Will the right hon. Gentleman answer my supplementary question?

Mr. BENN

That question was replied to either last Monday or the Monday before.

Mr. BROCKWAY

May I ask whether there is in these documents any exclusive attack on British goods, and, if not, whether there is any broach of the Irwin-Gandhi agreement?

Mr. BENN

That is exactly the question which the right hon. Gentleman asked me, and it is with a view to seeing the true implication of these two documents that I am making inquiries?

Captain Sir WILLIAM BRASS

Will the right hon. Gentleman take steps to find out whether a breach of the agreement has occurred or not?

Following are the figures:

IMPORTS in thousands of yards into India of cotton piece goods, excluding fents.
— From United Kingdom. From Japan.
1930.
November … … 13,867 20,056
December … … 17,670 26,005
1931.
January … … 22,830 36,278
February … … 24,080 18,831
March … … 33,131 31,690
April … … 35,921 32,442