§ MR. ALBAN GIBBS (London)Can the right hon. Gentleman the President of the Board of Trade now state the constitution and terms of reference to the Docks Commission?
§ THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF TRADE (Mr. RITCHIE, Croydon)The terms of reference of the Royal Commission on the London dock question are as follows—
To inquire into the present administration of the Port of London and the water approaches thereto; the adequacy of the accommodation provided for vessels and the loading and unloading thereof; the system of charge for such accommodation and the arrangements for warehousing dutiable goods; and to report whether any change or improvement in regard to any of the above matters is necessary for the promotion of the trade of the port and the public interest.The list of members contains the names of Earl Egerton of Tatton, who was chairman of the Royal Commission on the Education of the Blind, Deaf, etc., 1884, 788 and chairman of the Manchester Ship Canal, 1887ߝ94; Lord Revelstoke, who is a director of the Bank of England and partner in Baring's; Sir Robert Giffen, late Comptroller-General of the Commercial, Labour, and Statistical Department of the Board of Trade; Rear-Admiral Sir John Hext, who is Director of Marine under the Government of India and was a member of the Bombay Port Trust, 1883–98; the Hon. Alfred Lyttel-ton, Q.C., M.P.; Mr. John E. Ellis, M.P., a coalowner; and Sir J. Wolfe-Barry, consulting engineer, Past President of the Institution of Civil Engineers.