Sir J. D. REESasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that of the stock of 73,500 bales of tobacco in the warehouses of the Mersey Docks and Harbour Board at Liverpool only 2,208 bales are of Empire-grown Nyasaland leaf; that the Board, which has a monopoly of the. storage of leaf tobacco in Liverpool, persistently declines to warehouse consignments of Nyasaland leaf in bales, and in fact has not received any shipments of such since August, 1919; that the statement of the Board that they would endeavour to accommodate any shipments of Nyasaland tobacco which may be brought directly into the port of Liverpool is not understood, because there have not existed for some time past any means for making such shipments direct to Liverpool, and, if they are prepared to receive such tobacco by direct steamer, there would not appear to be any good reason why they should not receive the same by coasting steamer; and, will he take such steps as will lead the Mersey Docks and Harbour Board to forward the policy of His Majesty's Government in respect of Imperial preference 1566W and at the same time to give the tobacco trade reasonable facilities for developing their business in Nyasaland tobacco by giving preferential storage to that Empire-grown article?
§ Mr. BR1DGEMANHaving regard to the necessity of economising transport and avoiding congestion I do not think it desirable to take exception to the refusal of the Mersey Docks and Harbour Board to receive for storage tobacco discharged at London.