§ Mr. PORRITTasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether his attention has been called to the statement of the British Government representative, before the Mandates Commission of the League of Nations on 19th August last, to the effect that only Great Britain can decide whether steps shall be taken to impose duties upon goods imported into Palestine front countries which have left the League of Nations; and whether his Department proposes to take any action in accordance with this statement in so far as existing non-League States are concerned?
§ Mr. ORMSBY-GOREI presume that my hon. Friend is referring to the following statement made by Mr. Trusted, the principal British Accredited Representative for Palestine, on the 9th of June last at the eighteenth meeting of the Twenty-ninth Session of the Permanent Mandates Commission
The question whether discriminatory action should or should not be taken against 1344W particular countries which have not the right to economic equality guaranteed to them under the mandates was one for the mandatory Power to decide in the light of circumstances and of its obligations under the mandates—which of course involved its having regard, as a primary consideration, to the interests of the inhabitants. In considering whether to terminate economic equality for Japan (or Germany) the mandatory Power was not entitled to take into consideration solely the benefits which would accrue thereby to its own trade by so doing or to the trade of other Members of the League of Nations.As regards the second part of the question, His Majesty's Government do not propose to take any action in the matter as, apart from any other considerations that may be involved, they have no reason to suppose that it would be in the interests of the inhabitants of Palestine to do so.