125

(2) Crown Colonies, Possessions, and Protectorates —continued.

Outcome of Suggestions made in the Note 1; ,id bofore the Imperial Conference >f 1907. That Returns should be rendered for Calendar Years, That Countriea of Consignment of Imports and of Ultimate' Destination of Bxports should be shown. That the Classification of Articles should bo amplified. That Imports and Exports should be summarised under Foods, &a.. Raw Materials, and Manufactured Articles, &c, and that the Trade with the United Kingdom, British Possessions, and Foreign Countries should be separately distinguished under each Head. ,lta.* Fhe returns are issued for years ending 31st March. Imports. —The returns are stated to be recorded by " Countries whence im- " ported." [Switzerland, however, appears as a country whence articles are imported —hence " Countries of consignment" may be intended.] Exports. — Recorded by " Countries to which ex- " ported." [Note. —The Government of Malta were recently asked to give some indication in the Trade Returns of the system followed with regard to the countries to which imports and exports are attributed, and, in reply, they stated that the suggestion will, in future, be adopted.] A summary classification is given in the Trade Returns in accordance with that recommended by the Trade Committee of 1891, but the trade carried on with the United Kingdom, British Possessions, and Foreign Countries is not at present separately distinguished. [Note. — Representations were made to the Government of Malta on behalf of the Board of Trade as to the desirability of—■ (1) Classifying the returns on lines similar to those adopted in the Trade Returns of the United Kingdom, and of (2) Distinguishing the trade of each group with the United Kingdom, British Possessions and Foreign Countries. The Government of Malta have replied that the suggestions will, in future, be adopted.] » Cy; irus. Previously adopted It has been stated that the countries shown in the returns " as places to which " goods are exported or " from whence they are " imported may, as regards " 95 per cent, of the " exports and imports, be " regarded as the countries " of ultimate destination " or origin." The classification has been amplified, particularly as regards textiles. It has been stated that a summary classification will in future be made. The Trade Returns for 1909 are summarised on the lines recommended by the Trade Committee of 1891, but the trade carried on with the United Kingdom, British Possessions, and Foreign Countries is not specially distinguished. Note.— The Note laid before tl Malta, Gibraltar, Hong Kong, and * Prior to 1st October 1909, or both "dutiable" and "free" gooi ie Imperial Conference of 1907 was Falkland Islands. ily dutiable goods were shown in th Is—the first issue being for the six i not submitted to the Government ;s of Aden, Bahamas, St. Helena ie Trade Returns. From that dat( months ended 31st March 1910. ! returns have been compiled for