§ "Sub-section (1) of Section 48 of the principal Act shall be read as if there were inserted therein after the word 'Act,' second therein occurring, the words or who are voluntary contributors.'"
§ Clause brought up, and read the first time.
§ Mr. R. HARCOURTI beg on behalf of the hon. Members in whose name it stands, Mr. Cathcart Wason, Mr. Fell and Mr. Munro, and who are not members of the Committee, to move, "That the Clause be read a second time." The point of it is not very dissimilar to the one we have just considered, but it affects a small and special class. For the purposes of clearness I may perhaps just read the Section of the principal Act on which I am proceeding to engraft the Amendment:—
The Board of Trade shall, as soon as may be after the passing of this Act, cause a society to be formed, to be called the Seamen's National Insurance Society, of which any masters, seamen, and apprentices to the sea service and the sea fishing service who are employed within the meaning of this part of this Act …. shall be entitled to become members …I desire the Committee to make it read: "who are employed within the meaning of this part of the Act or who are voluntary contributor." Hon. Members are aware 3248 that there are various difficult questions connected with the legal position of what are called share fishermen. It is fortunately unnecessary for me to discuss that point here. They are dealt with in twenty pages of the annual report—that is, the fishermen relating to Scotland. I believe several of the questions are under consideration by the Courts at the present time. There is, I believe, legally nothing to prevent a man who may be called a share fisherman and who has a contract of service from being an employed contributor, especially if a Special Order has not been made. Fishermen may be called joint adventurers who benefit, I suppose, under contract service, and would not be able to be voluntary contributors. They would, I understand, be excluded from the benefits of the seamen's society, which are very special benefits, and which have been set up under Government patronage. The society gives most valuable benefits, such as medical attendance in each port in which the members may land. These men could not by Act of Parliament become voluntary contributors and would, ipso facto, be excluded from membership of that society even if they desired to join and the society desired to receive them. That really is the case. The position, as I understand it, involves no hardships upon anybody. It merely enables persons who desire this insurance and those who desire to join this society to be received by the society, if the society so determines. I am not entitled to say that the Seamen's National Insurance Society are asking for this Amendment, but from correspondence which I have seen, and which, if necessary, I can read, I am authorised to say that this Amendment will be welcome. The only piece of criticism which has been raised is the question as to whether the doctors would object to taking these voluntary contributors under the fee system. I understand Clause 5, which we have passed, makes the situation satisfactory, and I believe this would be one for the convenience of the fishermen.
§ Mr. WINGI should like, if the hon. Member who has just submitted his proposal would accept an Amendment which I have on the Paper to much the same effect; if so, I shall be very pleased. If the hon. Member will do so, and move my Amendment, I shall be very pleased to second.
§ Dr. MACNAMARAThere appears to me to be no reason why seamen such as these who do not come within the meaning of the Act, should not be eligible to become members of the Seamen's National Insurance 3249 Society, if otherwise eligible to become voluntary contributors. My hon. Friend referred to the fishermen who own their own boats and to the share fishermen. They are exempted under the First Schedule, Part I. of the principal Act, and I think they came into this category. Hon. Members will remember that Sub-section (8) Section 48, provides that persons who leave the sea for some other reason would probably be shut out and I do not think that this is desirable. They should still be qualified as voluntary contributors.
§ Mr. R. HARCOURTWould not that be met by an alteration of the rules?
§ Dr. MACNAMARANo; I think the proposal of my hon. Friend (Mr. Wing) is the better Clause, if I may say so. It is as follows:
The rules of the Seamen's National Insurance Society may, notwithstanding anything in. Sub-sections (4) and (8) of Section 48 of the principal Act, provide for the admission to the society of masters, seamen, and apprentices to the sea service or sea-fishing service who are entitled to be or become voluntary contributors, and for allowing a member who leaves the sea service"—That is the point my hon. Friend's Clause does not cover—and who is or continues to be a voluntary contributor, to remain a member of the society.That I think is in better form, and is the form in which I should like to accept it.
§ Mr. R. HARCOURTShall I be in order in moving that Clause? The only reason I did not put that in is that I believed it was covered by an alteration of the rules. May I be allowed to move it now in that form?
§ The CHAIRMANIf the Committee are agreeable, but the hon. Member had first better withdraw his own Amendment.
§ Clause, by leave, withdrawn.