§ 64 and 69. Captain Alan Grahamasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies (1) whether, in view of the recent continuous silting up of the Forcados Bar or main mouth of the River Niger and the deepening of the Nun branch of the delta, he will arrange for a re-examination of all existing data to be undertaken in connection with a survey of the regime of the River Niger and its tributaries, in order to improve the shipping and trade of Nigeria and thus give more employment in Great Britain in connection with the Special Areas and the export trade;
(2) whether he will consider asking for the co-operation of the French Government in connection with the need for a fresh survey of the régime of the River Niger, with a view to the improvement, not merely of Franco-British, but of world trade in those waters?
§ Mr. Ormsby-GoreI am aware that the silting up of the Forcados Bar is giving cause for anxiety, and I have recently asked the Governor for a report on the subject. Consideration of problems connected with communications in Nigeria is now co-ordinated under the Director of Transport who is assisted by an Advisory Transport Board. No proposal has been made for a survey of the River Niger and its tributaries, and I know of no circumstances which would justify such a step until all existing transport facilities by road and rail are shown to he inadequate. In the circumstances, the question of seeking the co-operation of the French Government does not arise.