§ 68. Mr. D. Marshallasked the Minister of Transport what is the expenditure in dollars by his Department on the hire and operation of ships during the year beginning 1st April, 1946; and to what extent bunkers have been purchased during this year by his Department in hard currency.
§ Mr. BarnesOn the hire of ships, my Department expended during the period 1st April, 1946 to 31st January, 1947, 34,382,280 U.S. dollars and 4,182,723 Canadian dollars. I am unable to state dollar expenditure on operation, for Ministry ships are managed on my behalf by shipping companies acting as managers who account to me in sterling, expenditure and receipts in foreign currency being accounted for through the ordinary machinery of exchange control. Some amounts will have been disbursed in hard currency for bunkers.