§ Sir H. NIELDasked the President of the Board of Trade what have been the imports of sports goods, toys and games, reading lamps, and tinware during the months of August, September, and October last, and what have been their respective values and countries of origin; how it is that the published Board of Trade Returns for those months show no record of any importations of either toys or games, and that the columns of such Returns under the headings Sports Goods, Toys and Games, the spaces are blank for the months named; and if he will call for an explanation, so that business and commercial circles may not have reason to question the accuracy of these official Returns?
§ Sir P. LLOYD-GREAMEThe following tables show the values, and in certain cases the quantities, of the imports into the United Kingdom of sports goods, toys and games, lamps, and hollow-ware of tinned plate, registered in the months of August, September, and October, 1920. The countries from which the goods were consigned are shown in the tables, the countries of origin not being required to be stated by importers. "Reading lamps" and "tin ware" are not separately distinguished in the returns, and accordingly it is only possible to give figures for the classes "lamps and lanterns" and "hollow-ware of tinned plate," respectively.
As regards the second and third parts of the question, my hon. Friend appears to be under a misapprehension.
The published trade and navigation accounts for August, September, and October of the current year show, on page 121, the values of sports goods and of toys 1751W and games (not of rubber or leather, not electrical) registered as imported during the month. Rubber balls and leather sports goods are included under the headings "Rubber and Leather Manufactures."
IMPORTS INTO THE UNITED KINGDOM or THE UNDER-MENTIONED ARTICLES, CONSIGNED FROM THE COUNTRIES NAMED, IN AUGUST, SEPTEMBER AND OCTOBER, 1920. (a)Sports Goods, and Toys and Games. (By value.) — Sports Goods. Toys and Games. August,1920. September,1920 October,1920. August,1920. September,1920. October,1920. £ £ £ £ £ £ Sweden … … — — — 201 145 160 Norway … … — 3 1,527 11 471 11 Denmark … … 30 66 62 — 31 4 Germany … … 271 195 1,333 72,575 106,977 159,475 Netherlands … … 7 — 86 5,752 7,571 4,348 Belgium … … 543 3,601 56 1,385 2,552 1,981 France … … 1,348 4,270 718 44,822 35,232 37,329 Switzerland … … 65 — 6 910 350 740 Spain … … 175 25 191 — — 67 Italy … … 138 200 101 438 145 85 Austria-Hungary … … — — — 1,662 2,354 4,436 China … … — — — — 111 — Japan … … 1,175 926 4,273 38,607 55,852 62,848 United States of America … 2,476 7,633 9,390 8,328 9,874 24,511 British India … … 552 — 539 — — 27 Hong Kong … … — — — — — 8 New South Wales … … 144 — — — — — Canada … … 934 655 892 180 926 181 Newfoundland … … 7 — — — 26 — Total … … 7,865 17,574 19,174 174,871 222,617 296,211 1752W
(b) Lamps and Lanterns (except electric); by quantity and value. Countries whence consigned. August, 1920. September, 1920. October, 1920. Quantity Value. Quantity. Value. Quantity. Value. No. £ No. £ No. £ Sweden … — — — — 10 6 Norway … 60 144 470 350 184 821 Germany … 17,159 2,496 3,129 1,200 16,005 3,838 Netherlands … 201 54 1,536 52 9,089 843 Belgium … 114 227 169 179 150 110 France … 49 94 1,303 264 2,584 462 Switzerland … 1,341 302 72 337 — — Italy … — — 6 12 — — Austria-Hungary … 1,640 384 800 261 — — Japan … — — — — 590 150 United States of America … 1,966 563 28,897 13,036 1,038 801 Hong-Kong … — — 14 10 — — Canada … 6,696 1,447 144 40 — — Total … 29,226 5,711 36,540 15,741 29,650 7,031 Articles under these various headings are not entered in the Official Statistics by quantities, as there are no common units of quantity which could properly be applied to the different articles grouped under each heading.
1753W
(c) Iron and Steel and Manufactures thereof—Hollow-ware (household, kitchen, &c. utensils)—Of tinned plate; by quantity (in certain cases) and value. Countries where consigned. August, 1920. September, 1920. October, 1920. Quantity. Value. Quantity. Value. Quantity. Value. Tons. £ Tons. £ Tons. £ Sweden … — — — — 1 121 Norway … — — 11 700 — — Denmark … — — — — — 50 Germany … 4 660 1 190 2 767 Netherlands … — — — — — 75 Belgium … 1 54 5 373 1 114 France … — 31 — 140 1 310 United States of America … 327 48,056 60 6,249 4 644 Victoria … — — — — 10 1,170 Total … 332 48,801 77 7,652 19 3,251