§ SIR WILLIAM PEARCE (Lanark, Govan)asked the President of the Board of Trade, Whether it is his intention to introduce a short Bill, or otherwise give effect to the following recommendations of the Royal Commission on Loss of Life at Sea:—
That a simple professional examination should be required for the rating of boatswains and carpenters; that seamen with the rating of A.B. should be required to have continuous records of their services; and that advance notes should be legalised, but strictly limited in all cases to the advance of one month's wages?
§ THE PRESIDENT (Sir MICHAEL HICKS-BEACH) (Bristol, W.), in reply, said he had given directions for clauses to be drawn dealing with the three Recommendations to which his hon. Friend referred. He proposed to circulate those clauses among the Associations and other persons connected with shipping; and if the replies he received were so generally favourable as to lead him to imagine that legislation on the subject would be non-contentious, he would try to find an opportunity for it this year; otherwise, he feared it would not be possible to do so.