§ MR. HAVELOCK WILSON (Middlesbrough)I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade if his attention has been called to the engagement of a man named Stuart James Holgate, a railway servant, on board the steamship "Treveau," at Penarth upon the 12th December 1898, as an able-bodied seaman; whether he is aware that the only previous sea experience this man 1292 had was a pleasure trip on a pleasure boat to the Isle of Man; and that the man Holgate was shipped on another man's discharge, supplied to him by a boarding-house keeper named Meredith, living at Cardiff; and, whether it is the intention of the Board of Trade to prosecute Meredith for supplying Holgate with a false discharge, and illegally supplying him.
§ THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF TRADEThe Board of Trade have communicated with their officials at Penarth and with the owners of the steamship "Treveau" with regard to the circumstances referred to in the Question. It appears that Holgate was shipped as stated, on another man's discharge, supplied to him by a boarding-house keeper; and that, whatever his previous experiences may have been, he was incompetent as an A.B. A prosecution will be instituted, if, upon further inquiry, the evidence is found to be sufficient.