§ Mr. WADDINGTONasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Shipping Controller if he will state the rate of freight in 1914 of Canadian hay from Canadian ports to Liverpool; if the rate is now £12 per ton; and, if so, will he have representations made to reduce the present rate to enable hay to be imported at a reasonable cost, in view of the shortage of home-grown hay?
Colonel WILSONI am informed that the freight before the War on hay from Canada to Liverpool was about 25s. per ton weight. So far as the Ministry are aware, hay is not being shipped at the present time, but if £12 is the present quoted rate it would appear to be on the same basis as other commercial freight from Canada having regard to the great bulk of this commodity, which measures nearly three times the standard shipping ton of 40 cubic feet.