M^l 
 
 <<. 
 
 P 
 
 m 
 
 Great Britain, Colonial office. 
 
 West Indies* Despatch to the 
 governors of certain '.Vest Indian 
 colonies. 
 
 i^ 
 
 \
 
 'w^ 
 
 m
 
 WEST INDIES. 11? 1 
 
 I'r'i-.f 
 
 DESPATCH 
 
 TO THE 
 
 GOVERNORS OF CERTAIN 
 WEST INDIAN COLONIES^] 
 
 RELATING TO 
 
 THE CONTINUANCE FOR TEN YEARS 
 
 OF THE 
 
 EXISTING PREFERENTIAL RATES 
 
 OP 
 
 CUSTOMS DUTIES. 
 
 Presented to Parliament by Command of His Majesty, 
 June, 1922. 
 
 LONDON : 
 PQBLISHED BY HIS MAJESTY'S STATIONERY OFFICE. 
 
 To be purchased thi'ough any Bookseller or directlv from 
 
 H.M. STATIONERY OFFICE at the followiuj; addresses: 
 
 Imperial House, Kingsway, London, W.C.2, and 28, Ahingdon Street, London, S.W %■-, 
 
 37, Peter Stkeet, Manchesteh ; 1, St. Andrew's Ukescent, Cardiff ; 
 
 or 23, Forth Street, Edinburgh. 
 
 1922. 
 
 Cmd. [1683]. Price 2d. Net.
 
 WEST INDIES. 
 
 Despatch to the Governors of certain West Indian 
 Colonies relating to the continuance for ten 
 years of the Existing Preferential Rates of 
 Customs Duties. 
 
 The Secretary of State to the Governors of — 
 
 British Guiana. Windward Islands. 
 
 Trinidad. Leeward Islands. 
 
 Barbados. Jamaica. 
 
 Downing Street. 
 
 m March, 1922. 
 
 Sir, 
 
 You are no doubt aware that, at a meeting of the Associated West 
 Indian Chambers of Commerce held in Trinidad on the 29th of January, 
 the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies announced 
 that His Majesty's Government proposed to give to the West Indian 
 Colonies an undertaking that the preference on goods at present 
 entitled to preferential rates on importation into this country shall 
 be continued for ten years. I have now the honour to transmit to 
 you, for your information, and for publication in such manner as you 
 may deem advisable, a copy of a question on the subject which was 
 addressed to me in the House of Commons on the 23rd February, 
 together with a copy of my reply. 
 
 2. The general depression of trade throughout the world has not 
 spared the British West Indian Colonies. Great difficulties are being 
 experienced by most, if not all, of their staple industries and by none, 
 I believe, more than by the sugar industry, in which so many of them 
 are interested. His Majesty's Govermnent have great sympathy 
 with the unfortunate position in which that and other West Indian 
 industries are placed, and it has been a source of satisfaction to them 
 to be able to give a practical proof of their sympathy by making a 
 proposal which, if it commends itself to Parliament, cannot in their 
 opinion fail to have important effects in restoring confidence in the 
 future of all the West Indian industries to which the British preferential 
 tariff applies. I trust that the hopes of His Majesty's Government 
 in this matter will not be disappointed, and that the announcement 
 of their intentions wiU reassure both those who are engaged in pro- 
 duction in the West Indies and those who may be hesitating to embark 
 their capital and their energies in extending and developing cultivation 
 in the Colonies affected. 
 
 3. I shall be glad if you will communicate this despatch to the 
 Legislature and to the public generally in the Colony under your 
 government. 
 
 I have, etc., 
 
 WINSTON S. CHURCHILL.
 
 Enclosure. 
 
 WEST INDIES (IMPERIAL PREFERENCE). 
 
 Sir S. Hoare asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies 
 whether his attention has been drawn to the statement that the 
 Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies Announced 
 at a meeting of the Associated West Indian Chambers of Commerce 
 in Trinidad on the 29th January that the British Government had 
 decided to make a trade arrangement with the West Indies 
 guaranteeing the continuance for the next 10 years of the existing 
 rate of preference ; and whether he has any announcement to make 
 on this subject ? 
 
 Mr. Churchill : I have seen the report of the announcement 
 by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies, 
 which represents in substance the poUcy which His Majesty's 
 Government propose for the acceptance of Parliament, namely, an 
 undertaking to the West Indian Colonies that the preference on 
 goods at present entitled to preferential rates on importation into the 
 United Kingdom shall be continued for 10 years. The undertaking 
 would be that the Customs Duties on such goods, other than spirits, 
 shall bear to the duties on similar goods imported from foreign 
 countries the proportions prescribed by the Second Schedule of the 
 Finance Act, 1919, and that the Customs duties on spirits shaU be 
 lower, by not less than 2s. 6d. per proof gallon, than the duties on 
 foreign spirits of a like kind. 
 
 His Majesty's Government do not consider that it will be 
 necessary to make any formal agreement with the West Indies. 
 They assume that the West Indian Colonies will continue to accord 
 preference to goods of the Mother Country throughout the period. 
 The proposal for an undertaking to the West Indian Colonies is due 
 to the representations made to His Majesty's Government that the 
 introduction of further capital is necessary to maintain and develop 
 the main industries in the West Indies, and that the raising of this 
 capital will be greatly faciUtated if the producers can be guaranteed 
 that the preference which they enjoy in the United Kingdom market 
 will be assured to them over a definite term of years. 
 
 Although the Hon. Member's question relates solely to the West 
 Indies and has been answered accordingly, I ought to make it clear 
 that there is no intention of giving less favourable treatment to 
 goods imported into the United Kingdom from any other part of the 
 Empire during the ten years in question. 
 
 Printed unrier the Authority of His Majesty's Stationkry Office, 
 
 By Harrison and Sons, Ltd., 44-47, St. Martin's Lane, W.C.2, 
 
 Printers in Ordinary to His Majesty. 
 
 (B 3/322)Q Wt. 15273-268 125 9/22 H & S, Ltd. G3 
 
 28^1 ()3
 
 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA AT LOS ANGELES 
 
 THE UNIVERSITY LIBRARY 
 
 This book is DUE on the last date stamped below 
 
 Form L-9-20»!-8,'37 
 
 2881 ^t« 
 
 "ORifj 
 
 A" 
 
 • OS ANGELES
 
 'Hli^ \:v 
 
 6121 &t. Brit. 
 G79w Colonial off 
 "W est liidlea* 
 
 UC SOUTHERN REGIONAL LIBRARY f AMlJ ,