§ 40. Mr. HOUSTONasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Shipping whether he is aware that Messrs. Lever Brothers, Limited, of Port Sunlight, promoted or formed the Bromport Steamship Company, Limited, which, since the beginning of the War, has bought a number of steamers; whether this company still has three steamers running in the West Coast of Africa trade, carrying its own goods and produce; and whether the steamers belonging to Messrs. John Holt and Company, Limited, of Liverpool, African merchants, which were engaged in this trade, have been entirely withdrawn from the trade?
§ Sir L. CHIOZZA MONEYThe Bromport Steamship Company, which is connected with Messrs. Lever Brothers, have three steamers running under liner requisition in the West African trade. One of their steamers has been requisitioned for special Government service, and the remainder of their fleet (four vessels) has been lost. Messrs. John Holt and Company have also lost two steamers, and of the three remaining vessels belonging or chartered to them, as I explained to the hon. Member on the 2nd October, one was withdrawn from the West African trade on the ground that she could not maintain the sea speed necessary for convoy requirements, while the other two were requisitioned for employment in trades in which they could be more advantageously employed. It is not the case that the steamers of the Bromport Steamship Company necessarily carry their own goods and produce. The steamers in the West African trade are pooled under the direction of the West African Steamship Conference, which consists of Messrs. Elder, Dempster and Company, the Bromport Steamship Company, and Messrs. John 1919 Holt and Company. The Ministry of Shipping, while giving general instructions to the conference as to the materials to be carried, leaves to the discretion of the conference the arrangements for the allocation of the shipments as between the various merchants, Messrs. John Holt and Company being one of those.
§ Mr. HOUSTONIs the hon. Gentleman aware that the Bromport Company have been only about two years or a little longer in existence, and that John Holt and Company have been in existence fifty years; and does he really contend that Lever Brothers have not had more favourable treatment than Holt and Company?
§ Sir L. CHIOZZA MONEYIn each case the use of the vessels was dictated by only one consideration, and that consideration the national interest.
§ Mr. HOUSTONBut is the hon. Member not aware that his statements are inaccurate here?
§ 41. Mr. HOUSTONasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Shipping, if he will state in definite terms the promise made by the Shipping Controller to Mr. Robert Holt, of Messrs. John Holt and Company, Limited, of Liverpool, at the interview on 22nd October?
§ Sir L. CHIOZZA MONEYThe promise made by the Shipping Controller was that as soon as the exigencies of the War permitted the tonnage in question would be released.
§ Mr. HOUSTONThat means after the War, I suppose.