§ MR. HAVELOCK WILSON (Middlesbrough)To ask the President of the Board of Trade whether any Report has been sent to his Department with reference to the attempt made by some of the Chinese crew em- 1490 ployed on the Liverpool steamer "Franklyn" to set fire to the forecastle of that vessel on 12th August last, two days after the ship had left Hong-Kong; whether he is aware that two of the Chinamen jumped overboard; whether any inquiries have been made into this matter; and whether a report was made in the official log-book of the ship.
(Answered by Mr. Kearley.) I presume that my hon. friend refers to a vessel called the "Frankby," on which a fire is reported to have occurred on 6th September last, two days before reaching Hong-Kong, but there is no reason to believe it was caused by the Chinese crew. One Chinese fireman disappeared on that date, but there is no report of another having jumped overboard. Full inquirie have been made, and proper entries made in the official log.
§ MR. HAVELOCK WILSONTo ask the President of the Board of Trade whether his attention has been called to the fact that the crew of the steamship "Bramley," owned by the Reliance Steamship Company, Limited, allege that they have been subject to short allowance of food; whether he is aware that this vessel has been away from this country one year and four months, and that nearly the whole of the original crew have deserted from the vessel; whether he is aware that it is alleged that ten different stewards have been taken on this vessel during the present voyage; and whether the Board of Trade will cause inquiries to be made into the allegations made by the men.
(Answered by Mr. Kearley.) The attention of the Board of Trade has been called to complaints by the crew of the "Bramley," and inquiry will be made into the matter on the return of the vessel to the United Kingdom. The owners of the "Bramley" inform the Board of Trade that a number of the crew deserted at various ports in Australia and California; but state that, so far as they are aware, there have been only two stewards on the steamer since she left England, and that a full and plentiful list of provisions is supplied to their vessels.
§ MR. HAVELOCK WILSONTo ask the President of the Board of Trade whether his attention has been called to the complaint of the crew of the Steamer "Craigisla," of Leith, who allege that they have been on short allowance of food during the present voyage of this vessel; whether he is aware that the crew complain that His Majesty's Consul at Alexandria endorsed in the official log-book of the ship the men's complaint; whether it is the intention of the Board of Trade to investigate the complaint of this crew on the vessel's return to the United Kingdom; and whether, in the event of the men's grievance being a substantial one, the Board will take proceedings against the master for failing to provide the men with a proper supply of provisions in accordance with the section of the Merchant Shipping Act.
(Answered by Mr. Kearley.) The attention of the Board of Trade has been called to the complaint of the crew of the "Craigisla" to which my hon. friend refers. The Consul, at Alexandria has been asked for a Report, and inquiry into the case will be made on the return of the vessel to the United Kingdom. Meanwhile I may remind my hon. friend that, under Section 25 of the Merchant Shipping Act, 1906, the crew can proceed against the master for compensation if he has failed to furnish provisions in accordance with the section.
§ MR. HAVELOCK WILSONTo ask the President of the Board of Trade whether his attention has been called to the report of the court of inquiry which was held at Halifax to consider the circumstances attending the stranding of the steamer "Mount Temple"; whether he is aware that the court stated that the captain of the "Mount Temple" was in default in not using the lead for the purpose of taking soundings; whether he will state how many able seamen were signed on the "Mount Temple," and how many of them could prove three years' sea service; and whether he will cause further inquiries to be made of the officers as to whether the failure on their part to use more frequently the lead was due to the fact that they did not have a sufficient 1492 number of able seamen to take soundings in each watch.
(Answered by Mr. Kearley.) My right hon. friend's attention has been called to the Report of the court of inquiry held in the case of the steamship "Mount Temple," and he is aware that the court found the master in default in not using the lead. There were at least nine A.B.'s on the vessel at the time of the stranding, and as these were signed on at that rating in November last I have no doubt that they proved the three years sea service necessary to allow of their being rated as A.B. As the court found that the omission to use the lead was due to the neglect of the master, and as they do not suggest any other cause, the Board of Trade do not think it necessary to institute further inquiry into the matter.
§ MR. HAVELOCK WILSONTo ask the President of the Board of Trade whether his attention has been called to the report of the court of inquiry held with regard to the loss of the steamer "Huddersfield"; whether he is aware that the stipendiary magistrate, who presided over the court, condemned the practice of allowing alien seamen to be signed on this vessel who were unable to understand orders given in English; whether he is aware that the court censured the captain of the vessel for failing to more frequently take soundings by the use of the lead; if he will state how many able seamen were signed on the "Huddersfield"; how many of them were able to prove three years' sea service; and whether he will cause further inquiries to be made of the captain and officers of the vessel as to whether the failure to more often use the lead was due to the fact that they had not a sufficient number of men in each watch.
(Answered by Mr. Kearley.) My right hon. friend's attention has been called to the report of the inquiry held in the case of the ss. "Huddersfield," and he is aware of the recommendations and finding of the court in regard to the casualty. Of the six deck hands serving upon this vessel two were engaged as able seamen, and I have no doubt proved their title to that rating. As the court found that the omission to use the lead was due to 1493 the neglect of the master, and as they do not suggest any other cause, the Board of Trade do not think it necessary to institute further inquiry into the matter.
§ MR. HAVELOCK WILSONTo ask the President of the Board of Trade whether his attention has been called to the report of the court of inquiry, held to investigate the circumstances attending the stranding and loss of the steamer "Tolesby" of West Hartlepool; whether he can state the number of able seamen who were signed on this vessel; how many of them were British and how many were foreigners; whether the foreign seamen were able to understand the English language; whether the able seamen were able to prove three years sea service; if he is aware that the court censured the master for failing to take soundings more frequently by the use of the lead; and if he will cause further inquiries to be made of the master and officers, as to whether the failure on their part to more frequently use the lead was due to the fact that they did not have a sufficient number of able seamen in each watch.
(Answered by Mr. Kearley.) The attention of my right hon. friend has been called to the report of the court of inquiry held in the case of the ss. "Tolesby," and he is aware that the court censured the master for negligence in respect of the use of the lead. Three able seamen were engaged on this vessel at the commencement of the voyage in September last at Cardiff, and they were all foreigners. As the language test was not then in force I cannot say whether they understood English, but I have no doubt that they proved three years' sea service. As the reasons which the master gave before the court for his omission to use the lead are stated in their report, and as they do not in any way refer to the manning of the vessel, it is not proposed to institute further inquiry into the matter.