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preference as is accorded to those of the United Kingdom.
It was given in evidence by r. Coulthart that on a recent
visit to India he had discussed this question with the
Indian Customs authorities and had gained the impression
that there were no intrinsic difficulties in the way of
securing such preference for Hong Kong products and that
the matter would certainly be susceptible of arrangement
provided that the Government of this Colony was prepared
to take energetic action in bringing the claims of Hong
Kong to the notice of the Imperial and Indian authoritics.
4. It was pointed out that the United Kingdom was not
a large cxporter of rope and was not interested in morc
than a small percentage of the Indian market,
Indian manufacturer was amply protected by the 20% duty
and by
the fact that the Indian Government permitted
import of raw materials in the shape of Manila homp, free
of duty.
P
while the
5. It followed therefore that any extension of the
United Kingdom - India preference to Hong Kong would be
made at the expense of the Manilam and Japanese ropc
interests and would not be likely to call forth a protest
from manufacturers either in the United Kingdom or in
India.
6. We understand that the question has already been
made the subject of official correspondence between this
Government and the Colonial Office and that the question
is under consideration by the Government of India who have
stated that no action is possible until such time as a
careful examination has been made of the results of the
working of the United Kingdom India Trade Agreement
over a full year.
7.
In these circumstances the Commission focl that
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