§ MR. MONK (Colchester)I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that, owing to the discrepancy between the gross and the net register tonnage of steam vessels, as ascertained under the Merchant Shipping Act, 1894, the dues and rates leviable by harbour and dock authorities throughout the kingdom are disproportionate to the accommodation required by, and afforded to, such vessels; that the Chairman of Committees of the House of Lords has refused to allow the Harbour and Dock (Bristol, etc.) Rates Bill, promoted by the Harbours, Docks, and Piers Association as a Private Bill, with a view to remedying this grievance, to proceed to a Second Reading, on the ground, inter alia, that the Bill should have been promoted as a Public Bill; and whether, under these circumstances, he can see his way to introduce next Session a Bill providing that in the case of steam vessels harbour and dock dues shall be leviable on a minimum net register tonnage?
§ THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF TRADE (Mr. C. T. RITCHIE,) CroydonI am aware that complaints have from time to time been made as to the operation of the existing tonnage law with regard to the dues and rates levied by harbour and dock authorities, but I am not prepared, as at present advised, to introduce fresh legislation on the subject.
§ THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF TRADEI cannot make any promise with regard to that.