§ MR. L. HASLAM (Monmouth Boroughs)I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade, having regard to the fact that, under The Merchant Shipping Act, 1894, the act of desertion on the part of a seaman renders him liable to the forfeiture of the whole of his accumulated wages, however large the amount may be, and also to the forfeiture of all the other effects he has left on board ship, will he state what 235 becomes of the money thus forfeited, and how much of it, if any, was paid into the national Exchequer during 1905; and will he introduce an Amendment into the Merchant Shipping Bill now before the House by which the amount of wages to be forfeited for desertion may be limited in amount.
§ MR. LLOYD-GEORGEUnder the present law (which, as my hon. friend is aware, it is proposed to amend by the Bill now before this House), the wages earned by a seaman up to the date of his desertion are usually retained by the master on behalf of the owner, but in eases whore a court is appealed to either on behalf of a seaman or an owner, it rests with the court to decide what amount shall be re-imbursed to the owners for the expenses caused by the desertion, and the balance is paid into the Exchequer. I regret that I am not able without further notice to state what amount was so paid into the Exchequer during 1905, but I have no doubt that it was only a small sum. With regard to the Amendment to the Merchant Shipping Bill suggested by my hon. friend, I doubt the advisability of limiting the amount of wages which can be forfeited for desertion, as such a limit would tend to weaken the inducements which a seaman has to stay by his vessel.
§ MR D. A. THOMAS (Merthyr Tydvil)When will the Report stage of the Bill be taken?
§ MR LLOYD-GEORGEI should prefer that that Question be addressed to the Leader of the House.