HC Deb 10 July 1919 vol 117 cc2144-5

Order for Second Reading read.

The PARLAMENTARY SECRETARY of the BOARD of TRADE (Mr. Bridge-man)

I beg to move That the Bill be now read a second time. This is a small Bill, which has come down from the House of Lords. In 1917 representations were made by navigating and engineer officers in favour of the institution of a standard uniform for the Merchant Service, and the Board of Trade appointed a Committee representative of those officers, shipowners, the Admiralty, and the Board of Trade to advise them. The majority recommended that a standard uniform should be formally instituted, but should not be made compulsory on board ship, although if it was desired to wear uniform on shore on other than ship's business, the uniform should not be any other than the standard. After these Reports were published the officers of the association pressed for something to be done, and an Order in Council was passed in September, 1918, instituting the uniform, but it was not competent under the Order in Council to exact any adequate penalties, and a promise was made last Session, on behalf of the Board of Trade, to introduce legislation for this purpose. The uniform is of blue cloth, and in some features follows the lines of the naval uniform, though it has distinct characteristics. The Admiralty approved the Bill. It is in no sense a naval uniform, but a civilian one, and the administration of all matters connected with it rests with the Board of Trade and not with the Admiralty.

Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHY

I welcome this Bill in every sense of the ward. It has long been desired by men of the Merchant Service to have a standard uniform. I beg, however, that the House will not take all its stages now, as I wish j to put down an Amendment.

Mr. BRIDGEMAN

There is no intention of taking more than the Second Reading.

Bill accordingly read a second time, and committed to a Standing Committee.