HC Deb 06 April 1900 vol 81 cc1405-6
MR. GIBSON BOWLES

I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that the chief officer of the steamship "Daniel" (which stranded at Mosquito Grove, Nova Scotia, on 1st November last), whose certificate was suspended by the Court of Inquiry for three months from 7th December, which three months expired on 7th March last, has been and still is unable to obtain the restoration of this certificate; whether the officer in question was entitled to have this certificate restored to him on 7th March; whether he has considered the hardship inflicted on this officer by the delay in returning his certificate, the effect of which is that, in addition to the enforced three months idleness caused by the sentence of the Court, he has been since 7th March and still is deprived through the want of his certificate from obtaining employment; whether the failure of the Board of Trade to return the certificate on the 7th March has arisen through delay arising in Canada, or through other causes beyond the control of the Board of Trade; if so, whether he will at once issue to this officer either a duplicate certificate or a provisional certificate such as will enable him to resume his calling; and whether he will consider what provision can be made for dealing with cases of a similar nature that may arise in future.

*THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF TRADE (Mr. RITCHIE,) Croydon

The facts of the case are as stated in the question, except that the certificate was suspended for three months from the commencement of the inquiry—namely, 27th November last. Although application was made to, and a promise given by, the Canadian authorities that the certificate should be sent to this country, it has not yet been received. In the meantime, in order to avoid any possible inconvenience, the Board of Trade issued instructions that the officer in question might be allowed to sign articles without producing his certificate. There is some objection to issuing duplicate or provisional certificates except in cases of great urgency; but, in all the circumstances of this case, I have given instructions for one to be at once issued to Mr. Milne, and I will consider whether any steps can be taken to avoid in future the delay that has arisen in Canada in this instance.