Mr FENTON (MARIBYRNONG, VICTORIA) (4:25 AM) . - It would have been informative if the Minister (Mr. Groom) had been able to disclose exactly how we had been standing from time to time in regard to the shipping, control - how we stood in the pre-war period, how we stood twelve months and two years after the commencement of the war, and how we stand to-day. Some of us, perhaps, may have a rough-and-ready idea as to the size of the Inter-State shipping fleet, and as to the number of vessels allowed to depart by the order of the British Government for transport, hospital, and other purposes. We ought to know how far Government control has prevented these ships coming back to ply their trade in these waters. The honorable member for Henty (Mr. Boyd.) has stated that the Government, while they continue this control, will not encourage ships that have been built in war time to the order of companies, Australian in their character and capital, to come to Australia, but he says that he himself, as a private individual, if he required ships, could obtain them. It seems rem!arkable that a private business man can obtain ships, while the Government are not able to hold out sufficient inducement to bring them 'to Australia.

Mr Mcwilliams - There are 2,500,000 more tons of shipping afloat now than there was before war broke out.