HC Deb 05 May 1908 vol 188 cc38-9
MR. HAROLD COX (Preston)

I beg to ask the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he is aware that, in answer to a Question in this House on 14th June, 1904, Mr. Pretyman, then Secretary to the Admiralty, stated that H.M.S. "Shearwater" was employed on seal fishery patrol in the Pacific from 20th July to 21st September, 1903, that the cost of her maintenance during that period was approximately £2,650, and that no part of this expense was refunded by the Canadian Government; and whether he can now state if this practice of charging the taxpayers of the United Kingdom with the cost of protecting Canadian fisheries has ceased; and, if so, when it ceased.

MR. McKENNA

The Seal Fishery Patrol in the Pacific is still carried out by H.M.S. "Shearwater." Her duties are of an international character on the high seas and do not comprise the protection of exclusively Canadian fisheries, which, as my hon. friend will notice on referring to the Report of the Colonial Conference last year, is now a service for which the Canadian Government hold themselves responsible.

MR. HAROLD COX

What does the right hon. Gentleman mean by exclusively Canadian fisheries? Does he mean that Canadians are not engaged in this fishery?

MR. McKENNA

said that not only Canadians but people of other nationalities were engaged in the seal fisheries.

MR. HAROLD COX

And we pay?

MR. McKENNA

We pay.

MR. HAROLD COX

To what extent are the fishers Canadian or British taxpayers?

MR. McKENNA

I could not answer that.