§ MR. LAIDLAWI beg to ask the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies if the Ceylon Government are going to put down their own workshops in connection with the Government graving dock in Colombo; and, if so, is it contemplated that the Government workshops will undertake repairs on other than His Majesty's ships.
§ COLONEL SEELYThe Ceylon Government propose to transfer their Public Works Department Factory to a site near the graving dock, and to undertake work on ships using the dock, whether belonging to His Majesty or not. They have been forced to take 38 this step by their failure, after nearly three years of negotiation, to arrive at satisfactory terms with local firms for the provision of the necessary workshops. Shipping firms using the dock will, however, be at liberty to entrust their repairs to private firms, should they desire to do so.