§ MR. HAVELOCK WILSONI beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that Messrs. Elder, Dempster,and Co., shipowners, of Liverpool, make it a condition of employment on all their ships for sailors and firemen whom they employ that they must insure with the Norwich Union Life Assurance Society, of which Messrs. Elder, Dempster, and Co. are agents; whether he is aware that this firm compelled two firemen named R. Unsworth and Robert Leitch, who served on board their steamship "Calabar," which was wrecked on the 25th of October last, to pay 13s. 4d. 1324 each for insurance premium out of 17s. wages due to them at the time of the wreck, leaving these men only 3s. 8d. balance of their wages; and whether he is aware that in consequence of this these men were landed at Liverpool without clothes, and destitute?
§ THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF TRADEI am informed by Messrs. Elder, Dempster, and Co. that for some years they have required their seamen and firemen to insure their lives. This they do in the interests of the men, and to encourage prudence on their part, having regard to the special risks of the African trade, and in many cases the practice has proved a great help to widows and children. The firm add that they do not insist upon insurance in the Norwich Union, many of their men insuring with other companies. As regards the specific cases mentioned in the Question, I am informed that, in Unsworth's case, his wages were £3 10s. per month, making £7 7s. for the voyage. His deductions were one month's advance (£3 10s.), life insurance 13s. 4d., and £3 paid his wife in cash, reducing his balance to 3s. 8d. In Leitch's case, I understand the wages were also £7 7s., being £3 10s. per month. The deductions were one month's advance (£3 10s.), postage 2d., and insurance 10s., leaving a balance of £3 6s. 10d.
§ MR. HAVELOCK WILSONArising out of that Question, I wish to ask whether the insurance policies do not bear the name of Elder, Dempster, and Co., as agents for this particular company?
§ THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF TRADEI know nothing of that. I am told that the firm did not insist on the insurances being effected with the Norwich Union Company.