HC Deb 11 March 1901 vol 90 cc1154-5
MR. KEIR HARDIE (Merthyr Tydvil)

I beg to ask the Secretary to the Admiralty whether a number of men-of-war's men now serving on the "Barfleur," the "Centurion," and other war shops stationed in the Chinese waters expired men; whether they detained against their will; they may be expected to be come home.

MR. ARNOLD-FORSTER

The King's Regulations direct that time-expired men are to be sent home in time to admit of their receiving their discharge when the term of their engagement expires, unless the exigencies of the Service are such as to render their detention for a time necessary. It is possible that owing to the recent troubles in China some men may have been detained, but the cases must be few and their detention would not be continued when the existence of the necessity was removed.

MR. KEIR HARDIE

Will the hon. Gentleman call the attention of the responsible authority to the desire of the men to be immediately released?

MR. ARNOLD-EORSTER

I have no doubt that the attention of the Commander-in-Chief has been called to the fact that the men are time-expired.