§ MR. HAVELOCK WILSON (Middlesbrough)I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware that on the steamship Waldensian, which sailed from Glasgow in February last upon a voyage on which she is now engaged, 12 men were signed on her articles as able seamen, not one of whom were able to prove that they were competent seamen under the Act of 1880, and the articles of agreement were marked to that effect; is he also aware of the fact that on the steamship Peruvian only five out of 14 were able to prove their competency, and on the steamship Sarmatian two out of 16, and on the steamship Assyrian one out of 15; whether these boats are all the property of the Allan Line, and have passengers certificates 496 from the Board of Trade; whether under the Emigration Laws, the Board of Trade officer must satisfy himself that the crews are competent before granting a certificate of clearance; and whether he will cause inquiries to be made as to why the Emigration Officer gave certificates of clearance on each of those vessels, seeing that the able seamen engaged were not able to prove their servitude under the Act of 1890?
§ MR. MUNDELLAThe four vessels named belong to the Allan Line. The Peruvian and Sarmatian hold passenger certificates granted by the Board of Trade, but the Assyrian and Waldensian do not. The Peruvian was the only vessel cleared under the Passenger Acts. The Emigration Officer of the Board of Trade had no power to interfere with the crews in the case of the other three ships. As regards the rating of A.B. under the Act of 1880, that Act does not provide for the rejection of seamen who have not fulfilled the conditions specified in it, and officers of the Board of Trade have no power to reject such men unless they know them to be incompetent. The absence of a certificate does not prove either that they are incompetent or that they have not the necessary length of service. As regards the Peruvian, the Office copy of the Agreement for that vessel confirms the statement of the hon. Member so far as the numbers of A. B. s are concerned, but it does not follow that the men who do not hold certificates could not otherwise prove the requisite amount of service to entitle them to hold certificates. The officer reports that the crew were mustered in the usual manner, and he saw nothing in their appearance that would justify him in refusing to clear the vessel. The Board of Trade, however, is of opinion that there are sufficient grounds for inquiry into the question of under-manning, and I am considering the form the inquiry should take.
§ MR. HAVELOCK WILSONIf it is a fact that these steamers had crews on board which were not competent, why did not the Board of Trade officer detain the vessel? I should like also to ask if seamen are to be judged by their appearance?
§ MR. MUNDELLAThe Act does not give power to the Board of Trade officer to refuse to allow men to serve 497 because they do not hold certificates. He has only to satisfy himself that they are otherwise competent. I am, however, not at all satisfied with the present state of the law and will inquire further into the matter.
MR. GIBSON BOWLES (Lynn Regis)When the right hon. Gentleman says the crew do not hold certificates as A.B., does he mean they were O.S.?
§ MR. MUNDELLAI mean A.B. But men may be engaged who do not hold a certificate, and the Board of Trade officer cannot refuse to allow them to serve.