§ 5. Sir A. FELLasked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware that the drifters and trawlers now working from Great Yarmouth are charged for their coal 55s. per ton whilst the same coal is retailed to private houses at 39s. per ton; that at Grimsby and Hull they are only charged 38s. per ton; that this handicap on the boats at Yarmouth must crush the industry unless it is remedied; and that the Controller of Coal Mines has refused to alter these prices for the Yarmouth boats; and what steps he will take to remedy this difficulty?
§ Sir A. GEDDESThe pit price of house coal is regulated by the Price of Coal. (Limitation) Act, which does not apply to ships' bunker coal. The controlled pit price of the coal supplied to trawlers at Yarmouth is on the same basis as that of coal supplied to trawlers at Grimsby and Hull, the difference between the delivered prices payable by the trawlers being due partly to longer rail haulage to Yarmouth and partly to charges for additional services in handling the coal at Yarmouth.
§ Sir A. FELLCan the right hon. Gentleman suggest what can be done to the industry at Yarmouth against the preference of these other towns of 17s. a ton?
§ Sir A. GEDDESA great deal of the difficulty at Yarmouth arises, I am informed, through the lack of facilities for handling bunker coal, and we have had in the last few days an exhaustive Report upon the conditions of the Yarmouth harbour, and that is now being examined to see if an improvement can be made.