With your permission, Mr. Speaker, I desire to present a Petition on behalf of 26,000 persons in the County Borough of Burnley, in Lancashire. This is one of a number of Petitions which I understand other hon. Members desire to present on behalf of other towns in Lancashire grievously affected by the serious decline in the cotton trade of this country.

The humble Petition of the inhabitants of the County Borough of Burnley, in the County of Lancaster, shows that Your Petitioners are resident in the County Borough of Burnley and are dependent in very large measure either directly or indirectly upon the textile industry for their livelihood.That for upwards of a century the textile industry has been the staple industry of the County Borough of Burnley and the surrounding area, and although it has enjoyed periods of prosperity it has also suffered periods of unemployment resulting in its being an unstable industry.That in times of need those engaged in the textile industry have responded admirably to the Government's call for greater production.That during the last several years there has been a reduction of textile exports for many reasons which are well-known to your Honourable House, including the competition caused by foreign customers entering into the textile manufacturing industry and the importation—