HC Deb 20 March 1906 vol 154 cc219-20
MR. KEIR HARDIE (Merthyr Tydvil)

I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that the freight rate from the United States of America to South Africa for agricultural machinery is 17s. 6d. a ton, whereas from this country it is 40s. per ton; that the average freight rates from the United States of America is 33⅓ less than the freight charged from this country; whether this has caused South African trade, especially in Cape Colony, to decline by 2 ½ per cent., whereas for the same period foreign trade with the same Colony has increased by 25 per cent.; whether this is due to the monopoly secured by the shipping ring, particularly the Union-Castle Company; and what action he proposes taking to remove this handicap from British trade with the South African Colonies.

MR. LLOYD-GEORGE

I have compared the figures quoted with the infor- mation on this subject in the possession of the Board of Trade, and I find that my hon. friend has been misinformed as to the figures he quotes, and the deductions which he draws from them are therefore probably erroneous. I have communicated with the Union-Castle and other lines interested. They say the tariff rates for agricultural machinery are as follows:—

From the United Kingdom.
Cape Town. Algoa Bay. East London. Natal. Delagoa Bay.
25s. 25s. 32s. 6d. 32s. 6d. 35s.
From United States of America.
25s. 27s. 6d. 30s. 32s. 6d. 40s.

On the whole therefore these rates are in favour of the United Kingdom. The whole question of South African freights is under the consideration of the Government.