§ 63. Mr. ORR-EWINGasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he has approached Timber Distributors, Limited, with a view to the removal of the fall clause or any other alteration in their recently concluded contract for the purchase of Russian timber?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANI have intimated to representatives of both parties to the contract my desire that they should meet in order to consider a revised contract—that is, a contract without a "fall" clause.
§ Mr. ORR-EWINGArising out of the reply, for which I thank the right hon. Gentleman, may I ask whether, in future, where he finds it necessary to intervene as regards any clause in a particular contract, he will intervene at the earliest possible date in order to do away with any risk of trade dislocation?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANI think that there is a great deal to be said for that, and in this ease we intervened at the earliest possible moment as soon as we knew what was the nature of the contract.
§ Mr. T. WILLIAMSMay I ask the right hon. Gentleman whether the suggestion made by him to the Timber Distributors is understood to mean that they would be relieved of their contract with the White Sea Timber Trust, Limited, for their 1935 contract already entered into?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANIt means that if the Timber Distributors do not accept our advice, their contracts will be null and void.