§ 27. Mr. ANDERSONasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he has any official information showing that the Commonwealth Government intend at an early date to establish steamship ser- 2148 vices between the mainland and Tasmania and between Australia and the United Kingdom; and, if so, can he supply details as to the scope of this enterprise?
§ The SECRETARY of STATE for the COLONIES (Mr. Harcourt)It was stated in the speech of the Governor-General of the Commonwealth at the opening of Parliament last October that his advisers were in favour of establishing a line of Commonwealth steamers, and that measures to this end would be taken as soon as practicable. So far as I am aware, no detailed proposals have yet been put forward by the Commonwealth Government.