§ Mr. O'SHEEasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he is aware that for more than fifteen years quantities of fishing thread have been imported direct from Ireland into the island of Madeira, and the duty has always been assessed at Is. 4d. per kilo, until recently, when 3s. per kilo, was demanded on such thread imported per parcels post; whether he will inquire whether this alteration of duty has been regularly and legally made; if not, whether he will ask that a refund should be made of the amount of duty overpaid by the persons concerned; and whether he will also make representations to the Portuguese Government as to the delay in the examination of parcels arriving in the island of Madeira by parcel post?
§ Sir E. GREYI have already received a report from His Majesty's Consul at Funchal stating that a modification was made on 12th December, 1904, in the Article of the Customs Tariff affecting the import of linen thread and cotton into Madeira, under which the duty on the former was legally raised to 3s. per kilo. I have received no complaints of the nature indicated in the last part of the question.