§ MR. PICKERSGILL (Bethnal Green, S. W.)asked the President of the Board of Trade, Whether his attention has been called to the Report, published in The Lancet, of "the Lancet Special Commission on the dangers attending Labour in the Docks," and especially to the following passages:—
Men are ruptured, their spines injured, their bones broken, and their skulls fractured, so as to get ships loaded and unloaded a little quicker and a little cheaper;and, whether he will direct that inquiry shall be made forthwith into the truth of these statements?
§ THE PRESIDENT (Sir MICHAEL HICKS-BEACH) (Bristol, W.), in reply, said he had no means of making any further inquiry; and he doubted whether such inquiry was necessary pending the Report of the Sweating Committee. He would consider the question, and see whether it could be dealt with by any legislation affecting the laws relating to our merchant shipping.