§ 86. Mr. Philips Priceasked the President of the Board of Trade whether, in view of the considerable margin that exists between the inclusive cost to the Government of purchase of imported timber and the sale price of this timber to the trade, he will consider a reduction of this margin on condition that the trade passes it on to the consumer.
§ Mr. J. EdwardsThe Government's selling price policy on timber is to make neither profit nor loss over a period of trading; and the margin between our buying and selling prices is no greater than follows from this policy. We have constantly in mind the desirability of reducing timber prices whenever we are satisfied that this can be done without danger of loss to the taxpayer.