§ Colonel YATEasked the President of the Board of Trade what has been the total weight of feathers of wild birds imported into the United Kingdom during the months of December, January, and February last in defiance of the Proclamation of 23rd February, 1917, but admitted under the Anglo-French Agreement of 24th August; and whether he will permit an ornithologist to inspect these imported feathers at the docks, and to report whether any feathers of birds the export of which is prohibited by the Government of India or of any of the Overseas Dominions or Colonies are included in these consignments?
Sir A. STANLEYThe total weight of ornamental feathers, other than ostrich feathers, imported from France in the period specified was 44,377 lbs. The feathers are of French origin, the raw material being declared by the exporters to be the feathers of domestic fowls. In the absence of any evidence that the feathers are not correctly so described, I see no reason to adopt the suggestion contained in the second part of the question.