§ 5. Mr. STEWARTasked the President of the Board of Trade whether his attention has been drawn to the fact that a number of seamen engaged in the coasting service are unable to claim the privileges as regards railway passes which are granted to seamen who are discharged before a mercantile marine officer; and if he will consider means of enabling the crews of coasting vessels who are not so discharged to obtain a railway warrant to their usual port of discharge without payment or authority to travel to their homes at the old fare without the 50 per cent. increase, especially in view of the condition that voyages to the North of France are counted as coasting voyages?
§ Mr. WARDLEThis question of extending to seamen in the home and coasting trades the same special railway facilities as are given to seamen discharged at the larger ports has been considered, but there are considerable administrative difficulties in the way, and it has not hitherto been found practicable to make the extension.
§ Mr. STEWARTWill the hon. Gentleman look into this matter, because seamen from the North of England who are landed at Southampton have a very dear railway fare to pay to get home?
§ Mr. WARDLEI have already looked into it, but if the hon. Gentleman has any case of that kind I will investigate the matter further.