asked the Secretary of state for India whether shipment of coffee: from Mombassa is permitted while coffee from South Indian ports is held up for w ant of freight; whether coffee and other articles of merchandise formerly shipped from ports on the Malabar coast. are now held up on the Coromandel coast; and whether he can hold out hopes of early provision of tonnage?

My right hon. Friend has asked me to reply. The shipment of coffee: from any of the places mentioned is dependent upon the uncertain contingency of space being available after all priority cargo ready for shipment has been loaded. I fear, therefore, that it is quite impossible to avoid inequalities such as those referred to, and that there is no likelihood of any improvement in the situation in this connection.