§ 35. Mr. STANTONasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he will state what orders for timber are being given to British Columbia, if any, and what kind of timber is ordered; and will his Department see that, as far as possible, this Colony shall now, and after the War, receive its fair share of such timber orders so as to further develop its great timber resources and trade generally?
§ The FIRST COMMISSIONER of WORKS (Sir Alfred Mond)My right hon. Friend has asked me to reply to this question as my Department has hitherto been responsible for large purchases of timber for Government account. Contracts have been placed in British Columbia, and the placing of others is under consideration, but the long sea voyage and the shortage of tonnage have rendered it difficult to take much advantage of the great resources of British Columbia, and this shortage is likely, I fear, to act still more disadvantageously in the near future.