§ Mr. HILTONasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that the freight rate on cotton goods from British ports to Valparaiso is 80s. per ton, and that this is also the rate from the Continent; and will he submit this case to the Imperial Shipping Committee with a view to equality in rates being established on other shipping routes where serious inequalities prejudicial to British trade now exist?
§ Sir P. CUNLIFFE-LISTERI understand that the freight rate on cotton goods from British ports to Valparaiso is as stated by my hon. Friend, namely, 80s. per ton weight or measurement, but the freight rate from the Continent to Valparaiso is 80s. per cubic metre. The British rate is, therefore, lower than the Continental rate. Regarding the second part of the question, I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer to similar questions given on the 29th November.
§ Dr. WATTSasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that the freight on galvanised corrugated sheets is 38s. 6d. per ton from British ports to the Argentine and 20s. per ton from Antwerp; and will he submit this to the Imperial Shipping Committee with a view to the British rate being reduced?
§ Sir P. CUNLIFFE-LISTERI understand that the freight rate fixed by both the British and Continental Shipping Conferences is practically identical, namely, 35s. per ton and 35s. per 1,000 kilos, respectively. Regarding the second part of the question, I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer given by the Parliamentary Secretary to similar questions on the 29th November.
§ Mr. JOHNSTONasked the President of the Board of Trade whether his attention has been directed to the Final Report of the Dominions Royal Commission declaring it to be intolerable that British ships should discriminate by charging lower freights from Hamburg to New Zealand than from London to New Zealand, stigmatising this practice as inimical to British trade, and stating that they could get no assurance that these practices of discrimination against British trade would cease; and whether the Imperial Shipping Committee has 1190W recently submitted any Report on the subject?
§ Sir P. CUNLIFFE-LISTERMy attention has been drawn to the Report quoted, but I am informed that Conference rates do not now discriminate in favour of the Continent in respect of shipments to New Zealand. No Report has been submitted by the Imperial Shipping Committee on the subject.
§ Mr. JOHNSTONasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware of the difference between the shipping rates from Britain to South America and from. Antwerp to South America; that naphthaline from the United Kingdom is charged a freight of 170s. per ton and from Antwerp 22s. 6d. per ton; and if he can say whether any of the British shippers of naphthaline were consulted before these rates were fixed?
§ Sir P. CUNLIFFE-LISTERI understand that the British Shipping Conference freight rate for the carriage of naphthaline to South America is 85s. per ton, measurement or weight, and that the Continental Conference rate is 35s. per cubic metre. I am informed that discussions as to freight rates frequently take place between shippers and the Conference.