§ Mr. WHELERasked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he was aware that there was little accommodation or shelter from bad weather on the boats which conveyed daily liberty men from Sheerness to work at Chatham and back again; and whether, while recognising that the granting of passages on these boats was an 387 indulgence, he would endeavour to improve the travelling facilities for Sheerness liberty omen to and from Chatham?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAIt is not clear from the question whether the hon. Member's inquiry is directed to the cases of liberty men going to and from Chatham and Sheerness respectively and their ships, or to the cases of dockyard workmen desirous of being conveyed from their places of residence to their work. As regards the former, the "Liberty" and "Nimble," special service vessels, have satisfactory arrangements for accommodation and shelter. These boats are always available except in unforeseen circumstances. There are two smaller boats carrying 250 men each with shelter for about sixty. As regards the latter, no official arrangements are made for carrying dockyard employés who live at Sheerness but whose work is at Chatham, but they are permitted to take passage in boats employed on other services. I cannot admit the necessity to do more than is being done at present.
§ Mr. WHELERIs it not a fact that Chatham men going to Sheerness have accommodation, but that men going from Sheerness to work at Chatham have very often to travel all the way on boats which have no accommodation for bad weather, with the result that the men get seriously wet when it rains?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAI understand that there is no complaint with regard to men going from Chatham to Sheerness, but that there is no proper accommodation for men going from Sheerness to Chatham. I will look into that.