Major BROWNasked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware that the tariff imposed by America on imported white wool has caused serious loss to farmers of this country; whether he has made any representations on the subject; and if he can hold out any hopes of a better market in the future for this class of wool?
§ Sir W. MITCHELL-THOMSONA duty was imposed by the United States Emergency Tariff Act of May, 1921, on certain descriptions of wool. The imports of wool of United Kingdom production, during the period immediately preceding the imposition of the duty, however, consisted mainly of carpet wool, and this description of wool has continued to be free of duty, and to be imported in increasing quantities. I have not previously had my attention directed specifically to the loss which may have been sustained by the farmers who produce wools of other descriptions, but I understand that, taking United Kingdom wool as a whole, the imports into the United States were greater in the 11 months following the passing of the Act than in the corresponding months of the previous year or before the War. The answer to the second part of the question is in the negative, and I am not in a position to say anything as to the third part.