Commander BELLAIRS asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Shipping Controller whether he is aware that dissatisfaction exists in the timber trade owing to the belief that heads of sections in the Government Timber-buying Department are availing themselves of knowledge and facilities acquired in the course of their official work, to the detriment of other members of the trade; and whether he can hold out any hope of bringing to an end this atmosphere of suspicion which is thus caused by Government enterprise?
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§ Sir A. GEDDESI do not know of any grounds which justify any such dissatisfaction as is suggested in the question. The Government is no longer buying timber except for its own immediate uses. The purchases on trading account were completed by 31st March.