§ MR. M'GHEEI beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that, in August 1894, the Marine Department of the Board of Trade issued instructions to their principal officers, pointing out to them that 72 cubic feet of space for each 1360 seaman on board ship was insufficient accommodation, and that the space might with advantage be increased to 120 cubic feet, as recommended by the Report of the Royal Commission on Labour as issued during 1894; and whether he proposes at an early date to introduce a Measure giving effect to the recommendations of the Royal Commission on Labour?
§ THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF TRADEYes, Sir. I am aware of the instructions referred to in the Question. They are not quite to the effect stated by the honourable Member, but a copy of them was included in Parliamentary paper C. 7,540 of 1894. I have reason to believe that many (if not the majority of) shipowners voluntarily provide even more space than the 120 cubic feet per man recommended by the Royal Commission. In these circumstances I am not prepared at the present time to propose fresh legislation on the subject.
§ MR. M'GHEEI beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade whether, as section 125, sub-section 4 of the Merchant Shipping Act, 1894, provides that the master of every ship arriving in any port in the United Kingdom shall exhibit to the officer of Customs, or to such person as the Board of Trade may authorise in that behalf, a statement containing a list and description of all lascars or natives of India who are, or have been, on board, he will supply a copy of such lists, as exhibited by the masters of the P. and O. steamships "Australia," "Sumatra," "Arcadia," and "Caledonia," on their last arrival in the port of London?
§ THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF TRADEThe lists referred to in the Question were, I understand, handed in to the Customs in the usual way. If the Customs raise no objection, I shall be happy to supply the honourable Member with copies.
§ MR. M'GHEEI beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that in June 1895 the Marine Department of the Board of Trail e issued instructions to their surveyors, directing them to take the necessary steps to enforce the disallowance of deductions from tonnage made for crew spaces when ever, under any circumstances, it came to the knowledge of such surveyors that crew spaces, including that provided for lascars, did not comply strictly with the terms of the Merchant Shipping Act, 1894; whether, before issuing such instructions, the solicitors to the Board of Trade had been consulted as to whether the provisions of the Merchant Shipping Act were applicable to lascars in like manner with other seamen, regardless of the port of engagement, whilst they were employed on British registered vessels; and whether he will lay upon the Table of the House the circular containing such instructions?
§ THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF TRADEAs I have already stated in reply to similar Questions, I am quite aware of the instructions to Board of Trade surveyors to which the honourable Member refers. They were issued, as he says, in June 1895, and are still in force. Since then, as I have repeatedly stated to the House, legal points of considerable intricacy have arisen with regard to which the opinion of the Law Officers will be obtained. I shall be happy to show the honourable Member a copy of the instructions.
§ MR. HAVELOCK WILSON (Middlesbrough)May I ask the right honourable Gentleman when we may expect to have the report of the Law Officers of the Crown on this Question?
§ THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF TRADEI can hardly say. But there ought to be no unnecessary delay. The honourable Gentleman must understand that until we have an opinion from the Law Officers contrary to the practice we have hitherto observed we shall continue to adopt it.
§ MR. HAVELOCK WILSONMay I point out to the right honourable Gentleman — ("Order, order!")— Then may I ask him if it is not pos- 1362 sible for the Law Officers of the Crown to get all the information they require in the Library?
§ THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF TRADEIt is impossible for me to answer such a Question.