§ 55. Mr. Walter Fletcherasked the Minister of Food whether the advantages arising from turning Mikindani into a lighterage port instead of a more expensive deep water pier port have been considered before the decision in Cmd. 7314, paragraph 21, was arrived at.
§ Dr. SummerskillYes, Sir. A lighterage port could not, however, on a long term basis, handle so rapidly or economically as a deep water port the imports and exports of the area to be developed in Southern Tanganyika extending to over 1,600,000 acres.
§ Mr. FletcherIs not the hon. Lady aware that her answer is entirely inaccurate, and that the world record for loading is held by a lighterage port in South Africa? Will she make sure that a further investigation is made before an enormous expenditure of public money takes place?
§ Dr. SummerskillI recognise that the hon. Gentleman has some expert knowledge on this subject, but he must agree with me that experts do not always agree. The experts who have advised us say that, in view of the fact that perhaps 300,000 tons of outward cargo will be handled at this port, it would be better to have a deep water port.
§ Mr. FletcherWill not the hon. Lady look into it again in view of what happened in Kilindini where million of public money was expended in making a deep water port, when a gravity force that was available there would have saved the whole of it?
§ Dr. SummerskillI have looked into it and that is why I have given the answer I have.