§ DR. TANNER (Cork Co., Mid)asked the President of the Board of Trade, Whether the hospital accommodation on board most of the transatlantic steamers carrying emigrants is frequently, if not always, utilized for the accommodation of cabin or intermediate passengers, or of officers or crew; whether such hospital accommodation is intended by Act of Parliament to be kept unoccupied except by sick passengers or crew; and, what guarantee is given that, after the emigration officer has cleared such vessels, the executive officers of such ships other than the medical officer will not allocate the hospital berths to such persons as they please who are neither sick nor ailing?
THE PRESIDENT (Sir MICHAEL HICKS-BEACH) (Bristol, W.)I have made inquiries; and I am assured by the Companies that the hospital accommodation on board the transatlantic steamers carrying emigrants is not utilized for the accommodation of cabin or intermediate passengers, or of officers or crew. Such hospital accommodation is intended by Act of Parliament to be kept always for the service of sick passengers or crew. No such hospital berths can be allocated to other than sick persons, unless on the express sanction of the medical officer of the ship.
§ DR. TANNERasked, whether it was not a well-known fact, from all the Reports furnished by the emigration officers at Liverpool and Queenstown, that such hospital accommodation was 1610 frequently utilized by both passengers and crews?
§ SIR MICHAEL HICKS-BEACHI am certainly not aware of it. I have given the hon. Member the best information I can obtain.