§ 49. Mr. Leachasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what steps His Majesty's Government propose to take to give effect to the recommendation of M. van Zeeland regarding the generalising of the system of the open door which obtains in the Conventional Basin of the Congo; and whether, as a first step, he will suggest the exclusion of the Colonial areas from the scope of the Ottawa Agreements?
Mr. M. MacDonaldHis Majesty's Government have already announced their readiness to discuss the abatement of particular preferences in non-selfgoverning territories in cases where such preferences can be shown to place undue restriction on international trade. They do no consider that the present is a propitious time for going further in this direction.
§ Major-General Sir Alfred KnoxHow would the suggestion be carried out?
§ Mr. LeachIs it not the case that if you delay this in the way the right hon. Gentleman suggests, you are delaying the undertaking given by the Prime Minister in regard to appeasement?