§ MR. WEDGWOODI beg to ask the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether the orders for freight of material required for the future railways in Northern and Southern Nigeria will be placed through the Crown Agents, or will Sir Percy Girouard, with his experience of railway construction, be given a free hand to deal himself directly with the cheapest market.
§ MR.CHURCHILLAs no railway construction has yet been authorised in Northern Nigeria, it is premature to say how the orders for freight will be placed, but such orders would presumably be placed by the Crown Agents, as agents for the Government of Northern Nigeria, on the most advantageous terms obtainable. The same course will be followed in the case of railway extension in Southern Nigeria.
§ In reply to a further Question by Mr. WEDGWOOD,
§ MR. CHURCHILLsaid that in the event of any railway construction being authorised in Northern Nigeria the Government hoped to be able to avail themselves of Sir Percy Girouard's experience in order to secure that the line was built at as low a cost as possible, but he could not say if the Crown Agents would be employed on a railway line the building of which had not yet been decided upon.