§ 92. Colonel YATEasked the Secretary of State for India whether he is aware that of the eight ships taken over from the German Government, which were stated to have been allocated for homeward passenger traffic from India this spring, two have since been cancelled and that the Peninsular and Oriental Company's agents in India, Messrs. Mackinnon, Mackenzie, and Company, state that the Admiralty's orders regarding the remaining six differ from the India Office instructions and that no accommodation is available; that large numbers of passengers in India are quite unable to secure passages, despite urgent medical grounds, for going home; that great indignation is felt at the long-continued inadequacy of passenger shipping arrangements and the Indian Commerce Department are apparently unable to get either assurances or information out of the home authorities; and what steps he is taking in the matter?
§ Mr. FISHERAs the answer to this question is rather a long one, I propose, if my hon. and gallant Friend is agree- 891 able, not to read it now, but to have it published in the OFFICIAL REPORT.
§ The following is the information referred to:
§ My hon. and gallant Friend has been misinformed as regards the cancellation of any ships of the eight taken over from the German Government. All of them have been, or will be, used for homeward passenger traffic from India this spring. The ships were provided by the Ministry of Shipping on the understanding that Government, i.e., military entitled passengers, were to have priority of accommodation, and that the balance of accommodation left over was to be made over to the shipping agents for allotment, under the control of the Government of India, to civilian and non-entitled military passengers. Some weeks ago, owing to a misunderstanding, the Government of India were informed all the accommodation on seven of the ships would be reserved for military passengers, but the position has now been cleared up. Out of a total accommodation for 3,561 passengers in the eight ships, about 1,000 berths will be reserved for military-entitled passengers from India and Mesopotamia; and the remainder, amounting to between 2,500 and 2,600 berths, will be left at the disposal of the Government of India for allocation to civilian and non-entitled military passengers. In addition, four more ex-German passenger vessels will be available from India in April or early May with accommodation for approximately 1,000 passengers, all classes. All this accommodation is over and above that provided in the ordinary course by the shipping companies, which is left for non-official and non-entitled passengers. My hon. and gallant Friend may rest assured that the subject has constantly received my earnest attention, and special measures were in view some considerable time before either the Government of India or the Indian Chambers of Commerce made any representations in the matter.