§ Mr. KENYONasked the Secretary of State for India which of the Allied countries addressed remonstrances to the Government against the differential export duties on raw hides and skins exported from India; whether they adduced reasons to show that these differential export duties should not be imposed; and, if so, what were the counterbalancing reasons which induced the Government to impose them?
§ Mr. MONTAGUThe Allied and associated countries in question are France, Italy, and the United States. The answer to the second part of the question is in the affirmative. In imposing the duties the Government of India were influenced mainly by the desire to benefit Indian tanners. They took the opportunity of giving a measure of preference to this country in return for the preference given here in favour of certain Indian products such as tea and coffee.