§ 15. Mr. WATTasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Shipping Controller whether 10,390 bags of onions ex Port Said by steamship "Vestalia" were 657 consigned to Liverpool, carried through that port, landed at Manchester, and then sent back to Liverpool by rail; and, if so, if this was done in the interests of economy in war time?
§ The PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY to the MINISTRY of SHIPPING (Sir Leo Chiozza Money)The 570 tons of onions carried on the steamship "Vestalia" formed only 7½ per cent. of her total cargo. Moreover, a large part of the onions was not consigned to Liverpool. The ship was directed to Manchester upon full consideration of the whole of her cargo, and in the interest of quick discharge. It is perfectly true that this necessitated the railing of some of the onions from Manchester to Liverpool, but there would have been no justification for delaying the steamer to berth and discharge part of her cargo at Liverpool.
Sir F. HALLMay I ask whether, owing to the tremendous congestion that there is on the railways, the hon. Gentleman thinks that the moving of these onions first from Liverpool to Manchester, and then from Manchester to Liverpool, can be conducive to the facilitating of railway traffic?
§ Sir L. CHIOZZA MONEYI do not think my hon. and gallant Friend could have heard the whole of the answer. The onions formed only 7½per cent. of the total cargo.