Part of Oral Answers to Questions — Trade and Commerce. – in the House of Commons at on 5 March 1935.
The Secretary of State for DOMINION AFFAIRS (Mr. J. H. Thomas):
I have recently been in communication with His Majesty's Government in the Commonwealth of Australia in regard to this matter, and I understand that in December last the Commonwealth Government made provision for the admission free of Customs duty of trade catalogues and price lists, not advertising the sale of goods by a person, firm or company in Australia, if imported in single copies addressed to merchants, up to a limit of one copy each branch. The wider question referred to by my hon. Friend will continue to be borne in mind for such action as is possible.
Secretary of State was originally the title given to the two officials who conducted the Royal Correspondence under Elizabeth I. Now it is the title held by some of the more important Government Ministers, for example the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs.
