§ MR. W. FIELD (Dublin, St. Patrick)I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade whether (1) a system of apprenticeship exists in the Marine Department of the Trinity House Service in which the apprentices are specially educated for the requirements of that service, and by examinations qualify as officers of their lighthouse and buoy steamers; (2) whether the Irish Lights Commissioners demand special training from their men before being promoted to the rank of officers, and whether qualifications or standards are required of them; (3) and whether the Board of Trade have sanctioned the Trinity House system, and do they require that officers in lighthouse services should undergo special training?
§ THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF TRADE (Mr. BRYCE,) Aberdeen, S.The answer to the first question is yes; and the expense involved in the training of apprentices for the Trinity House Service is, like all other expenditure from the Mercantile Marine Fund, subject to the control of the Board of Trade, who, however, make no special requirements beyond such as the Trinity House impose. The Irish Lights Commissioners inform me that there are no apprentices in their Service; and that all officers in their service possess Board of Trade certificates of competency for the appointments they respectively hold.
§ MR. T. GIBSON BOWLES (Lynn Regis)May I ask whether the right hon. Gentleman still adheres, after that answer, to the previous answer that the Board of Trade has no control over the Trinity House?