asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he can give the value of paper, other than that for the printing trades, imported into this country for the first six months of 1924 and 1925, respectively, and the number of paper-manufacturing plants that have been closed in this country during those years?

I am sorry that it has not been possible to extract the figures desired by my hon. and gallant Friend in the first part of his question, in time for the answer to-day. I will send them to him as soon as they have been compiled from the official records. As regards the second part of the question, I am informed by the Paper Makers' Association that about 22 paper mills have been closed during 1924 and 1925.

Will the Parliamentary Secretary inform me what the loss of wages to the workers of this country is represented by this closing?

Are not these mills closed largely because the paper is made in Newfoundland, which is part of the British Empire?

I am sorry that I cannot answer that question.