ENG-1958 — Page 35

REVIEW

23

1st February 1959. This undertaking provides in brief that exports to the United Kingdom of Hong Kong manufactured cotton gar- ments and piece-goods, whether grey or finished, shall be subject to a ceiling of approximately 164 million square yards annually for a period of three years. Outside the ceiling are cotton yarn, garments made from United Kingdom cloth, and any goods imported into the United Kingdom for re-export with or without processing.

On 31st October the French Ministry of Economic Affairs, without any prior warning, announced the establishment of a quota for the importation of Hong Kong goods into France and French West Africa equal to 50% of the value of such imports in 1957. The French authorities justified this move with sugges- tions of dumping and the export of mainland Chinese textiles under the guise of Hong Kong goods. Strong and urgent repre- sentations were made to France by Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom, and the outcome was awaited at the end of the year.

Concern voiced in the United States during the year over increasing imports of cotton goods from Hong Kong, mainly shirts, blouses and brassieres, culminated in January 1959 in an announcement that an Assistant Secretary of the United States Department of Commerce would visit Hong Kong in February to consult with the Government and industry on the possibility of finding a solution to the problem.

In the context of these events, it was with very real pleasure that the Hong Kong Branch of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association was able to invite the United Kingdom Branch to send a delegation to the Colony in order that its members might acquaint themselves with as many aspects of Hong Kong life as possible. The all-party delegation led by the Rt. Hon. R. H. Turton, M.C., M.P., spent two weeks in Hong Kong and were able to see all major aspects of the Colony's life and to discuss its problems with the persons most directly concerned. The dele- gation left on 13th November, and before departure expressed their optimism over the future prospects of Hong Kong and their admiration for the way in which problems were being tackled: a fitting note, perhaps, on which to draw this review of past events to a close.