§ Mr. STEADMANasked the President of the Board of Trade if his attention had been called to the fact that at midnight on Sunday, 3rd October, a call was made at the West India Dock gates to discharge a steamer which had arrived; that a considerable number of men without tickets assembled, blocking the way of the men who had been ordered to work with tickets; that the dock police opened a small wicket gate, which was quite inadequate to admit the number of men having to go in; and that several wild rushes were made, when a large gate was opened and the men without tickets were allowed to enter the docks, with the result that on the quay fighting took place, one man having his jaw broken; was he aware that the men were compelled to work from 12 midnight till 7 in the morning without a break; and that one night in the London Docks, 1 to 4 Depot, they were compelled to work from 10 p.m. till 7 a.m. the next morning without a break; and would he make inquiries into these things with a view of preventing such scenes occurring again and such a system of sweating?
Mr. TENNANTAs the reply is a rather lengthy one perhaps the hon. Member will allow me to circulate it with the Votes?
§ Mr. STEADMANI have no objection to that.
Mr. TENNANTI may add that the Board of Trade have been, and are, in communication with the Port of London Authority with a view to joint action under Section 28 of the Port of London Act and the Labour Exchanges Act for the improvement of the conditions of dock employment. [See Written Answers this Date.]