§ SIR EDWARD HILL (Bristol, S.)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Colonies, whether his attention has been 1219 called to Section 10 of The New Zealand Shipping and Seamen Act, 1896, which section would have the effect of setting aside contracts as to rates of wages formally entered into in the United Kingdom between shipowners and seamen, and of compelling shipowners to pay whatever might happen to be the "current wages" on the New Zealand coast whilst their vessels traded there; and, if he could see his way to make any representations to the Premiers of British Colonies suggesting that legislation upon shipping should not, except in cases of extreme necessity, extend beyond the provisions of the British Merchant Shipping Act, 1894, and any Acts which may hereafter be passed amending the same?
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE COLONIES (Mr. J. CHAMBERLAIN, Birmingham, W.)My attention has been called to the section in question and I have, after consulting the Board of Trade, suggested to the Colonial Government the expediency of amending it so as to limit its application to ships engaged in the New Zealand coasting trade. The Colonial Governments are no doubt aware that Her Majesty's Government consider uniformity of legislation upon shipping throughout the Empire to be desirable so far as local circumstances will permit.