§ MR. HAVELOCK WILSONI beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade whether his attention has been called to a case which was tried at the Swansea Police Court on 30th November last, when the master of the steamer "Haslingden" was summoned for non-compliance with the Board of Trade requirements respecting lifeboats; whether his attention has been called to the statement of Captain W. B. Whall, principal officer of the Surveyor's Department of the Board of Trade for the South Wales District, to the effect that it was the surveyor's duty to examine the life-saving appliances of a ship, but there were not enough surveyors to deal with one-tenth of the vessels, that they had statutory duties that were paid for and took precedence of every other duty, to measure new ships, inspect boilers, and that a vessel might go for years and never be seen by surveyor's; and whether, in view of this state of affairs, the Board of Trade will consider the advisability of appointing additional surveyors in order that the life-saving appliances of vessels may be properly inspected.
§ MR. CHURCHILLMy attention has been called to the case of the "Haslingden," and I am informed that the newspaper report of the evidence referred to is not quite accurate. The inspection of ships in matters of safety takes precedence over every other duty, and, if there were reason to think that the present staff was insufficient to secure proper inspection, it would be increased. It is not necessary nor is it indeed possible to inspect every ship when going to sea on every voyage, but every passenger vessel is inspected at least once a year, and in the Cardiff district I find that on the average the number of ships on which the life-saving appliances are inspected is over 100 per month.