80. Mr. CATHCART WASONasked the President of the Board of Trade whether the officers and members of ships' crews, on signing on or off articles at British Consulates and shipping offices at ports abroad, are debited with fees for so doing; if so, whether he will consider the desirability of abolishing these fees; or, otherwise, whether he will take steps in order that they may be made payable by the owners of the ships concerned?
§ Mr. BURNSThe fee of 2s. charged at Consulates and Colonial shipping offices for the engagement or discharge of an officer or seaman is paid in the first instance by the master of the ship, but I believe it is a common practice for half the 2140 fee to be recovered from the officer or seaman concerned. There is nothing in the Merchant Shipping Acts to prohibit this. The question whether the fee should be abolished is primarily for the consideration of the Foreign Office or the Colonial Office, as the case may be. I will see that my hon. Friend's question is brought to the notice of my right hon. Friends.
81. Mr. CATHCART WASONasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he can give any figures showing the receipts from fees connected with merchant shipping which have been collected by the British Consulate at New York during the past year; and whether he can give the proportion of such fees which have been paid by British officers and seamen on signing on or off articles at New York?
§ The UNDER-SECRETARY of STATE for FOREIGN AFFAIRS (Mr. Acland)The total fees levied at New York in the year 1913–14 amounted to £5,845. It is not possible to distinguish between fees levied in connection with merchant shipping and other fees.