asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he will state if there has been any change in the classification of articles imported into the Saorstát under the heading of "Other Apparel," as shown in the Trade Statistics for April, 1926, as compared with the return for April, 1925, and, if not, whether he can state why the value of articles imported under this heading has increased from £163,699 to £735,973 for the periods January-April, 1925, and January-April, 1926, respectively.
CEISTEANNA—QUESTIONS. ORAL ANSWERS. - IMPORTATION OF APPAREL.
There has been no change in the classification of the imports of goods required to be described as "Other Apparel." The figures referred to are not comparable. It is regretted that an explanation was not published with these figures in the neo-styled statement for April last, although the neo-styled statements purport to contain only preliminary figures, exclusive of non-dutiable goods imported or exported through the parcels post. As explained on page V. of the Trade Report for 1924 and Page IV. of the corresponding Report for 1925, it was impracticable for these two years to compile the quantities and values of each non-dutiable article imported through the parcels post under its specific heading, as such a course would have doubled the total cost of compilation and, accordingly, the British method had to be followed of bulking all such non-dutiable parcels together and compiling them merely as so many parcels with an aggregate value. The figures for "Other Apparel" prior to the imposition of duty are, accordingly, as explained in the Trade Reports, understated by the amounts imported through the parcels post. The figures of imports of "Other Apparel" subsequent to the imposition of duty have had to be compiled specifically as such, as is done in the case of all dutiable articles imported through the parcels post.