HOUSE OF COMMONS

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXXII, Issue 60, 8 May 1924, Page 5

HOUSE OF COMMONS

0/BRITAIN'S WAR BURDEN. tt&MPIRE SUGAR PREFERENCE. (Received 9.55 a.m.) . - London, May 7. Replying in the House of Com mons to Sir Edward Grigg, Mr P. SnflHjden (Chancellor) said it was calculated that the annual interesi charge payable by British taxpayers on loan s made to the Allies during thenar exceeded one hundred million sterling. A. proposal to' stabilis-. preference on'Empire sugar at 4s 3|d per cwt. for one y?ar, as compared with the ten< years recommended at the Im perial Conference, was made in an amendment moyed by Sir Mitchell Thomson in the- course of the Budget discussion. 'The mover advanced a strong pUja'On bebalf of ti:<j Crown colonies which are -rec'ally concerned. The amendment was iv jected b- 243 votes to iB2. PREFERENCE ON SUGAR. EFFECT ON EMPIRE PRODUCTION (Received 10.25 a.m.) London, May 7. Mr Mitchell Thomson, speaking to his amendment, pointed out that the effect of the Budget proposals would be to reduce the preference proposals to Is lljd per cwt., and he contended that preference in the past had resulted in the increase of the Empire sugar production from eighteen per cent, of the world's production in 1913 to twenty-two last year. He compared the preference of 33s lOd a ton given by Britain to the West Indies, with the £lO 5s given by the United States to Porto Rico. He maintained that the expansion of tha Empire sugar industry was essential, politically, fiscally, commercial'y and imperially. Mr Ormsby Gore, in seconding the amendment, maintained tliat the Colonial Secretary had failed lamentably in not impressing on the Chancellor of the Exchequer ,consideration of the West Indies' and Mauritius interests, which demanded the stabilisation of preference. The wurst feature of the Budget was the repudiation of responsibility to the tnopical Crown colonies. Mr P. Snowden, in opposing, said that the Empire production had only increased ten per cent, in three yoars since the preference began >o separate, while in the West Indies, fojr which a special plea was entered it had actually decreased Preference simply meant a subsidy by the British taxpayers to the West Indies planters. It had disastrously reduced the production of Empire sugar by twenty-live per cent. Lord Percy, o n behalf of the Opposition, protested against the Government, acting contrary to the pledge to take a free vote on the economic conference resolutions. Mr Graham replied that the pledge only concerned the forthcoming debate on the Imperial Conference. The sugar resolution was confirmed unaltered.