§ Sir J. Smedley Crookeasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware of the abnormal amount of unemployment in the plate-glass trade owing to the excessive importation of glass which comes into this country bevelled and silvered; and whether he will, in order to protect the British workers, prohibit the importation of this glass?
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§ Mr. CrossI am aware that there has been some increase in unemployment in the glass industry as a whole. The Board of Trade have no powers to prohibit imports, but it is open to the industry, if they feel that the present duty is insufficient, to apply to the Import Duties Advisory Committee for additional protection.