HC Deb 06 March 1899 vol 67 cc1362-3
MR, HAVELOCK WILSON

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for India if he can state whether a Bill was submitted to the Indian Government in 1895, having for its object the increase of accommodation on board ship of seamen employed on the coast of India to 72 cubic feet of space per person, and whether this proposal was aban- doned in consequence of the opposition of the Peninsular and Oriental Steam Shipping Company; and whether a copy of this Bill, with the petition submitted against it by the Peninsular and Oriental Company, will be laid upon the Table of the House?

THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR INDIA (Lord GEORGE HAMILTON,) Middlesex, Ealing

No Bill on this subject was submitted in 1893; Bills were put forward in 1892 and 1896, but neither of them contained any proposal for an increase of the cubic space allowed to each lascar seaman under the Indian law. The Question had previously been carefully considered by the Government of India, who had placed the subject before a select Committee for consideration; but the select Committee decided against making the change in the Bill which was then contemplated.