§ MR. T. SUTHERLAND (Greenock)asked the Under Secretary of State for India, Whether, seeing that three years have now elapsed since the Secretary of State wrote to India recommending the formation of a Harbour Trust for Aden, chiefly for the purpose of deepening the harbour, and that a Bill to create such Trust was passed by the Bombay Council a year ago, what reason is given by the Government of India for the delay now taking place in the accomplishment of this measure; and, what is the amount of the accumulated surplus at the credit of the Aden Port Fund from the dues levied upon vessels, for whose proper accommodation the improvement of the harbour has been shown to be absolutely necessary?
§ THE UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE (Sir JOHN GORST) (Chatham)The reasons for delay are given by the Government of India in a telegram, thus—
Cause of delay, necessity that provision should be inserted in the Bill vesting Government with power to exempt munitions of war from port charges and dues.Pending the formation of the Port Trust, steps are being taken for deepening Aden Harbour. The balance of the Port Trust Fund is Rs.4,35,000.