My Noble Friend is in communication with the Governor of the Windward Islands regarding the practicability of dispensing with the employment of women in bunkering in St. Lucia. As regards the second part of the Question, the volume of bunkering is not sufficient to justify the provision of mechanical loading. Moreover, the introduction of mechanical loading would probably be opposed strenuously by the workers themselves. It would be a very doubtful benefit to St. Lucia to introduce labour-saving machinery in advance of some measure, which is not at present in sight, for employing the labour so displaced.