§ 30. Mr. Hurdasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies how many tons of groundnuts from the 1946, 1947 and 1948 harvests, respectively, are awaiting shipment from the West African Colonies.
Mr. Creech JonesIn Nigeria there are 1,500 tons of groundnuts of the 1946–47 crop and 157,000 tons of the 1947–48 crop; of these some 17,000 tons are at port. There are no stocks of old crop groundnuts in the Gambia.
§ Mr. HurdCan the Minister say why there has been this long delay in shipping the 1947 crop when we need these groundnuts so urgently here?
Mr. Creech JonesThere appear to have been some transit difficulties in regard to this very small quantity of nuts in the 1946–47 period.
§ Mr. W. FletcherHas there been any deterioration in quality due to that?
Mr. H. D. HughesCan my right hon. Friend say whether the locomotives that have recently gone out to Nigeria are now in active operation?