§ Mr. HOODasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is now in a position to make any statement as to the use of enemy steamers to make up the deficiency in passenger and cargo tonnage to Australia, and in particular steamers specially built by the Germans for the Australian service; and whether he has made arrangements with British shipping companies to run the steamers?
§ Colonel L. WILSONI have been asked to reply. All the passenger steamers handed over by Germany to the United Kingdom, amounting to twenty-three in number have been allocated to the service946W of Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa, twenty-one of these having been allocated to Australasia. They are being used for repatriation of troops, munition workers, and families. Arrangements have been made with the liner companies serving the respective countries to run the steamers and take any cargo available which they are capable of taking in addition to the passengers.