§ MR. HAVELOCK WILSON (Middlesbrough)To ask the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that, when the steamers "Marypark," "Ethelaida," "Aislaby," "Wilberforce" and "Gresham" were engaging a crew of Chinamen at the port of Barry, a number of Chinese seamen were rejected as they were unable to pass the language test; if he is aware that the same Chinamen were signed on the above-named ships at the port of Cardiff although rejected at Barry; and if he will cause inquiries to be made with regard to this case.
(Answered by Mr. Churchill.) I understand that five Chinese seamen who came up for engagement on the "Wilberforce" were rejected at Barry, but that no rejection of Chinese took place at that port in the case of the other vessels named. The only one of the five vessels for which Chinese seamen were engaged at Cardiff was the "Aislaby." In that case seven Chinese passed the language test and twelve were rejected. The information received by the Board of Trade does not show that any of the seven Chinamen who passed the test had been previously rejected at Barry.