§ 68. Mr. BRACEasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he has received communications relating to the monopoly granted to the Denaby and Cadeby Collieries Company by the Brixham Urban District Council, in the allocation of coaling berths in Brixham Harbour; whether the Denaby and Cadeby Collieries Company is the only colliery company allowed to enjoy this privilege; what are the terms under which the Brix-ham Urban Council have granted this colliery company this monopoly; the period for which it has been granted; under what powers the Brixham Urban Council have so acted to the detriment of other colliery companies; what action the Board of Trade can take, and propose to take, to prevent a continuation of this reversion of the principles of Free Trade; and, if the Board of Trade do not now enjoy powers to cancel this policy, which prevents other traders getting berths from the Brixham Urban Council, do they propose asking Parliament to concede them the authority to intervene in such a case, and, if, so, when?
Mr. BUXTONI have received communications from a coaling company with respect to the allocation of coaling berths in Brixham Harbour. I am informed by the Brixham Urban District Council, who are the harbour authority, that the Denaby and Cadeby Collieries Company is the only company with whom they have entered into an agreement with respect to coaling berths. Under this agreement, which is for a period of twenty years, the Denaby Company guarantees to the council a minimum annual payment of £800 for tolls and dues on vessels calling at the company's coal hulks, in addition to paying a rent charge for the hulks.
The council state that they are acting under Section 25 of the Brixham Harbour Order, 1912. That Section contains a Order, proviso that no undue preference shall be given to any company or person, but the district council disclaim any partiality in the matter, and state that the agreement referred to, which covers all the space at present available for coal hulks, was provisionally settled before they received an application from the company which has recently made a complaint to the Board on the subject. If the complaining company are advised that the urban district council have contravened the proviso in Section 25 of the Brixham Order, 1912, it is open to them to appeal to a Court of Law. I am not aware that the Board of Trade have power to take any action in the matter, and as the aggrieved company have a legal remedy, I do not, as at present advised, consider it necessary to ask Parliament for further powers.
§ Colonel BURNHas the right hon. Gentleman any reason to believe that the Brixham Urban District Council refused permission for any other hulks to lie outside the harbour area?