§ Commander BELLAIRSasked the Secretary to the Overseas Trade Department, in view of the fact that Ceylon levies duties on our depressed industries of cotton piece goods, machinery, iron, and steel, whether any recent attempt has been made to obtain preferential treatment in return for the preference granted to the Ceylon tea industry in the British market?
§ Mr. AMERYI have been asked to answer this question. The question of the grant of preferential tariff treatment to British goods imported into Ceylon was last discussed in the Legislative Council in 1921. I would refer my hon. and gallant Friend to the answer which 33W I gave to a question asked in this House on 22nd March, 1926, in which I stated that the question of granting preference to British goods had been discussed by the Legislative Council of Ceylon a few years previously to that date and had been rejected, and that I was not then prepared to reopen the matter. The same conditions hold good at the present time.