§ Mr. MARRIOTTasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that during the five years ending 1912 the highest tonnage of fish delivered into Billingsgate Market by rail was 129,500 tons and the highest tonnage delivered by water was 73,500 tons; that the carriage by water has practically ceased; that in the four months ending April this year the railway companies have delivered into the market over 77,000 tons, being at the rate of more than 230,000 tons per annum; that the teams of the railway company delivering the largest quantity of fish into the market are detained in the market for an average of five hours each team; that the railway companies are being called upon almost daily to cart back from the market to the railway stations large quantities of fish for re-delivery the next day owing to the inability of the traders to deal with it; and what action he proposes to take in order to prevent the waste of valuable food and of public money?
§ Mr. BRIDGEMANI believe the facts as regards the delivery of fish traffic to Billingsgate Market are approximately correct. The present position is one that calls for the serious attention of all parties concerned, and the Board of Trade are looking into the matter.