§ Mr. WEDGWOODasked whether the General Register and Record Office of Shipping and Seamen is a department of the Board of Trade; if so, whether it has been arranged to transfer that office from Tower Hill to the new premises to be erected as offices for the Board of Trade; and, if not, whether the President of the Board of Trade will, in the interests of efficiency and economy and for the greater convenience of the public, cause the plans to be so amended as to enable the general register office of shipping to be suitably housed with the other departments of the Board of Trade in one building?
Mr. BUXTONUnder Section 251 of the Merchant Shipping Act, 1894, the General Register and Record Office of Seamen must be maintained in the port of London. The Board of Trade have held this to mean that it should be in the neighbourhood of the docks and shipping. I think efficiency, economy, and the convenience of shipowners, seamen, and the public are best secured by the maintenance of the office in the locality where it is at present situated.
§ Mr. WEDGWOODWould this involve an extra large staff?
Mr. BUXTONI do not think so. It is rather a distinct office from the general branches of the Board of Trade.