CO129-554-5 Commission of Enquiry into the Hong Kong trade depression- correspondence and report 27-3-1935 - 11-8-1935 — Page 150

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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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