§ MR. ROBSON (South Shields)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is aware that on the 1st instant two seamen, named Arnold Alexander and Victor Rolf, were sentenced by the magistrates for the borough of North Shields to 14 days' imprisonment for refusing to obey the 871 commands of the captain of the British steamship Arroyo to proceed to sea, notwithstanding that they had duly completed the voyage and service for which they had signed articles; that the captain had wrongfully refused to discharge them; and that after the two men had been sent to prison the officials of the Mercantile Marine Office informed the captain that his refusal to discharge them was wrongful, and that he was bound to discharge the whole crew, which he then accordingly did; whether the two men are still in prison; and whether he will order their immediate release, or direct inquiries to be made at once into the propriety of their conviction?
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE HOME DEPARTMENTMy attention had not been called to this case, but I have communicated with the magistrates by telegram, and expect to receive their reply to-morrow.