§ Sir C. KINLOCH-COOKEasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is 'aware that many persons (husbands of families) migrated to Australia last year on the understanding that they would be able to nominate their wives and children for sums of £6 and £3 (for children under twelve years of age), respectively; that these rates are now advanced to £8 and £4, respectively, causing a certain amount of distress both to the emigrants themselves and to their families at the prospect of longer separation than would have been the case had the old rates been adhered to; whether he will see that the Emigrants' Information Office is kept more up to date with information so that difficulties of this kind may be avoided; and will he represent to the Australian States the advisability of maintaining these passage rates at a fixed figure for, at any rate, the space of one year?
50W
Mr. HARCOURTIt is the case that in consequence of increases in the charges made by the shipping companies as from the 1st January some of the Australian States have found it necessary to increase the rates for nominated passages as indicated in the hon. Member's question. No question arises in this connection as to the information supplied by the Emigrants' Information Office not being up to date. The information regarding these rates contained in the Emigrants' Information Office Quarterly Circular of the 1st of January, 1913, is correct. In the circumstances, the matter does not appear to call for a representation in the sense suggested by the hon. Member.