§ Order for Second Reading read.
§ MR. J. H. WILSON (Middlesbrough) moved the Second Reading of this Bill.
§ Objection being taken,
MR. J. H. WILSONwas sure that if hon. Members knew the object of the Bill they would not object to it. The Bill was to provide that no man should be allowed to go on board a ship as an able-bodied seaman until he had completed four years' sea service as a boy—
THE MARQUESS OF CARMARTHENasked, was it proper for the hon. Member to make a statement on the Bill when objection had been taken to it?
§ MR. SPEAKERThe hon. Member is making an appeal in the hope that the objection will be withdrawn. Of course, his statement as to the Bill will be necessarily short.
§ MR. J. H. WILSONsaid, the Bill also provided that no man should be allowed to go on board ship as fireman until he had had 12 months' experience as trimmer. At the present time large numbers of men went on board ship as seamen and firemen who had had no previous sea service, and who, when they got to sea, became sea-sick, and the engineer and captain had to carry the vessels on. He had agreed to accept an Amendment to make it possible for fishermen who bad served four years in a fishing vessel to be entered as able seamen. He should be inclined to accept any reasonable Amendment, and he hoped, therefore, the Second Reading would be agreed to.
§ MAJOR RASCH (Essex, S.E.)would like to support the appeal of the hon. Member for Middlesbrough to hon. Members to allow this Bill to be taken.
§ Objection being persisted in, Second Reading deferred till To-morrow.