§ MR. HAVELOCK WILSONI beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade whether he can state if the Peninsular and Oriental Steamship Himalaya is registered as belonging to a port in the United Kingdom; and, if so, whether the owners of the said vessel are bound to comply with Section 9 of 30 and 31 Vict. c. 124, sub-Section 1, in relation to the accommodation of seamen; whether he can state if, in the articles of agreement signed by Lascar seamen, there is any mention as to the special measurement of accommodation that shall be allotted to each seaman; whether he is aware that Section 149, sub-Section 7, of the Merchant Shipping Act, 1854, provides that no stipulation can be made in articles of agreement contrary to law; and whether he is also aware that the Indian Act can and does apply only to such vessels as are owned and registered in India?
§ MR. BRYCEThe Peninsular and Oriental Steamship Himalaya is registered at Greenock, and I am advised that the owners of that vessel are subject to Section 210 of the Merchant Shipping Act, 1894, which reproduces the section referred to in the question relating to the accommodation of seamen. So far as I know, there is no mention in the articles of agreement signed by Lascar seamen of a special measurement of accommodation. The form of agreement sanctioned by the Government of India does not contain anything on the subject. Particular agreements might of course contain provisions on the point. Section 114 of the Merchant Shipping Act of 1894 (which re-enacts Section 149 of the Act of 1854) provides that any stipulation agreed upon by Master and Seamen may be inserted in articles of agreement provided that they are not country to law. I have already explained that questions of accommodation for seamen in British vessels owned and registered in the United Kingdom are governed by the British Merchant Shipping Act, and not by the Indian Act.
§ MR. HAVELOCK WILSONIs it the intention of the Board of Trade to enforce the accommodation on the Himalaya?
§ MR. BRYCEI have already told the hon. Member that we are enforcing this accommodation by the means at our disposal.
§ MR. HAVELOCK WILSONI would ask whether the right hon. Gentleman intends to enforce it in this particular vessel?