HC Deb 09 May 1907 vol 174 cc354-5
MR. WEDGWOOD

I beg to ask the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether all the deep-water landing places in the British West African Colonies are owned by companies controlled by Sir Alfred Jones, so that other shippers cannot compete in carrying freight there; if this is not so, will he give a list of those ports which are not controlled by Sir Alfred Jones; and, if the monopoly is at all serious, will the Government themselves construct publicly-owned deep-water landing stages to permit of free competition, before any public money is spent on importing extensive railway material at artificially high rates.

MR. CHURCHILL

There is no British Colony in West Africa where the deep-water landing places are owned by companies controlled by Sir Alfred Jones, so that the monopoly referred to does not exist.