§ 71. Mr. WADDINGTONasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is aware of the chaos existing on the Uganda Railway; that bookings from Uganda to the sea have been entirely suspended, and large numbers of bales of cotton are still unhandled and lying exposed to the elements; and, seeing that this delay will seriously prejudice the sale of the cotton in Lancashire owing to late arrival, and that the delay is due partly to poor management and partly to inadequate rolling stock, he will consider the desirability of taking drastic measures of alteration in the whole system of management of this line?
§ Mr. AMERYAs this reply is a long one, I propose, with the hon. Member's permission, to circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT. I should, however, like to make it clear that I do not accept any charge of faulty management or chaos in the arrangements. I have every confidence in the general manager.
§ Mr. WADDINGTONIs not the right hon. Gentleman aware that chaos has existed for four or five years, and that there have boon continual complaints to the Colonial Office in connection with the management?
§ Mr. AMERYI could not admit that. I know the volume of traffic has been steadily increasing and that the railways have been steadily increasing the facilities.
§ Following is the reply:
§ It appears that following upon an exceptionally heavy rush of import traffic which, owing to temporary labour difficulties, could not be cleared rapidly, there was a sudden demand for the immediate despatch outwards of cotton bales very much in excess of the anticipated and realised expansion of the cotton crop. Although the amount carried out in the first quarter of the year was 50 per cent. higher than any previous first quarter, it was not possible to accept all the cotton which exporters wished to rush out, and the cotton which is said to be lying exposed to the elements is, I understand, largely 231 that which was brought to the transport system, regardless of the fact that the railway had not accepted it. I have no information that bookings from Uganda to the sea have been entirely suspended, but I understand that the amount of cotton to be allowed at the Jinja Pier has been limited and that this course has been attended by good results.
§ The matter has been the subject of in quiry by the Inter-Colonial Railway Council, the Uganda Cotton Control Board, and a Committee specially appointed by the Government of Uganda, and I understand that the first-named body is satisfied that the railway administration had endeavoured to make every effort to provide for the needs of the service.
§ I shall await the full reports of these bodies and any comments which the general manager may wish to make upon them, but I desire to make it clear that I do not accept any charge of faulty management or of chaos in the arrangements, and that I have entire confidence in the general manager.