§ Mr. LYLEasked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies how much of the last Uganda cotton crop has yet been purchased by Lancashire firms; how much still remains on hand; and whether efforts are being made to urge on British firms the desirability of purchasing such surplus as there may be with the object of main taining at its highest output the growing cotton industry in this British Colony?
§ Mr. AMERYI regret that I have no information as to the proportion of the last Uganda cotton crop which has already come into the hands of Lancashire manufacturers, but I understand that of the small sales in recent months Uganda cotton has had its fair share. In any case, the majority of firms operating in Uganda protected themselves by transactions in "futures," and the present absence of demand for cotton of any 121W kind does not affect their prospects of buying the new crop, which must depend on the relation of current prices in Liverpool to the price for which the native growers are prepared to sell their seed cotton. Every effort is being made to secure that, as far as possible, the new crop shall be bought, in order that the natives may be encouraged to re-sow this year, but I have no reason to suppose that such measures as my hon. Friend suggests would have any effect on the new purchases, and it is, therefore, not desirable to make any special appeal to spinners to buy cotton which in the present depression of trade they do not require.