§ 39. Mr. WILESasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether his attention has been called to the fact that the freight on the cargo of linseed which was laden on the "Oberon," bound from Buenos Ayres to Rotterdam and ordered into the Falmouth River in November, 1916, owing to submarine danger, and which was requisitioned by Government Order on 1st December, 1917, has not yet been paid; is he aware that the delay is caused by his Department, which requires the assent of the former owner to the payment of freight although, having lost the goods and handed the bills of lading to the Ministry, the former owner has no means of checking the accuracy of the freight account; that no payment on account of the amount due has been made although the Ministry offered, on 29th December, 1917, to pay £28 a ton, less 1 per cent. brokerage, which was afterwards reduced by the Ministry to £ per cent., to be paid to a firm of brokers employed by the Ministry; and that this offer was refused only because the London agents of the former Dutch owner of the linseed refuse to pay ½ per cent. brokerage to brokers whom they had not employed and who had done nothing for them; and will he take such steps that will ensure the prompt payment of the freight to the ship-owner 683 and the net value of the goods to the firm from whom they were requisitioned?
§ Mr. PARKERI am informed that instructions have now been given for the payment of the freight referred to, and that payment will shortly be made on account of the price of the linseed requisitioned. With regard to the question of brokerage, I understand that a representative of the charterers has been asked to meet the Chairman of the United Kingdom Brokers' Association with a view to the appointment of a trade arbitrator to settle the outstanding points of difference, and it is hoped that an agreement may be reached at an early date.