§ Lieut.-Colonel GAULTasked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies what are the total quantities, in gallons, of gin imported into the Gold Coast in each of the three quarters of the present calendar year?
§ Dr. SHIELSFirst quarter, 104,456 gallons; second, 119,676 gallons; and third, 96,774 gallons.
§ Mr. KEDWARDasked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies what are the duties imposed on spirits im- 1421W ported into Sierra Leone, the Gold Coast, and Nigeria; what are the corresponding duties operative in the surrounding French Colonies; whether he is aware that spirits are smuggled in fairly large quantities over the borders of French territory into British territory in each of these three Crown Colonies; whether, in view of the size of the areas over which the Customs preventive service has control, he will state what is the extent of the personnel of such preventive service in each of the Crown Colonies; and whether, as the increased import duties on spirits imposed by the British Crown Colony Governments has resulted in a decreased consumption among the native races, the Government will consider raising the question at the League of Nations with a view to France adopting similar increased duties on spirits in French native territories?
§ Dr. SHIELSThe duties on spirits are set forth in detail in the return published annually, and laid before this House. The latest return is that for 1928 published as Cmd. 3383. The duty in Sierra Leone is 25s. per gallon at 50 degrees strength. In the Gold Coast and in Nigeria it is 27s. 6d. per gallon at the same strength. According to the latest information in my possession, the duty imposed in the neighbouring French Possessions is at the rate of 2,000 francs per hectolitre of absolute alcohol, which at present rates of exchange, and taking the hectolitre as equivalent to 22 gallons, would amount to about 7s. 7d. per gallon at 50 degrees strength. I am not aware that spirits are smuggled in large quantities, and there is no evidence of any appreciable amount of smuggling, although in the Gold Coast and in Nigeria a certain amount of smuggling is known to exist. The Gold Coast preventive service seized 111 gallons on the eastern frontier in 1928. In Sierra Leone owing to the nature of the frontiers, and the fact that there is but little trade across the French frontier, smuggling is not considered to be a serious danger, and there is no special preventive service. In the Gold Coast, the preventive service consists of five European officers, and 250 native ranks, and in Nigeria its strength is four European officers and 136 native ranks. It is only in the regions adjoining the coast in either Colony that smuggling can exist, since in the interior1422W prohibition zones are found in French poesessions as well as in British, and there could not be any importation across the frontiers in those parts of the territories. I do not consider that it would be advisable for His Majesty's Government to approach the League of Nations, regarding the duties to be imposed in a French Colony. A minimum rate of duty is prescribed by the Liquor Traffic Convention signed at Saint Germain-en-Laye in 1919, and the duty imposed by the French Government is higher than the minimum laid down.