§ Captain W. BENNasked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether any of the Crown Colonies, and if so, which, have been invited to introduce a scheme of preferential duties in their tariffs; and what replies, if any, have been so far received from them?
Colonel WILSONAn invitation to consider the practicability of preferential rates for goods of Imperial origin has been addressed to all Colonies and Protectorates, except those which are precluded by existing international agreements from doing so, and a few others in which preference is already in force, or is from special circumstances inapplicable. Replies have been received so far from Hong Kong and Sierra Leone, in both of which preference is considered unnecessary; from Cyprus, where legislation on the subject has been passed; and from Mauritius, Trinidad, Jamaica, British Guiana, the Windward and Leeward Islands, and British Honduras, in all of which the question is being considered.