§ MR. COURTENAY WARNER (Staffordshire, Lichfield)To ask the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he will explain why the men of the Colonial contingent who were brought from Australia in the P. and O. ship "Rome" were ordered by the captain of the ship to scrub the decks; and if 'the Government, having paid third-class fares for the men, has demanded some compensation from the Company for such an order.
(Answer.) This matter is entirely one for the Commonwealth Government. The arrangements for the transport of the Australian contingent were made by them, and the Minister of Defence, who was on board the "Rome" from Adelaide to Port Said, states that he never heard anything of such an order being given, and that certainly no complaint was made to him. He states further that the men were well and happy on board, and as far as he could ascertain were well satisfied. If any dissatisfaction had existed he must have heard of it.—(Colonial Office.)