Dr. Morgan:

asked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is aware of the coaling system in vogue in the Island of St. Lucia, British West Indies, by which local women are employed like slaves to tramp and mount ship's gangways in scanty clothing with heavy basket loads of coal on their heads, urged on by male foremen", for the ships' bunkers; whether a system of mechanical loading has ever been proposed, if not, why not; and whether this undesirable coaling method will now be changed?