§ 6. Mr. GILBERTasked the Under-Secretary of State for India whether his Department pay any gratuities to homes in this country for Asiatic seamen, ayahs, and any other class of Indian labour; if so, how many homes do they so assist and what is the annual amount granted to each; and will he give the names of the homes and in what towns they are situated?
§ Earl WINTERTONThe following annual grants are made from Indian revenues to institutions of the kind indicated:
The first of these is paid by the High Commissioner's Office, the other two by the India Office.
£ Strangers' Home for Asiatics, London 200 Ayahs' Home, Hackney 10 Seamen's Hospital, Greenwich 105
§ 8. Mr. GILBERTasked the Under-Secretary of State for India whether his Department has yet taken any further action as regards the housing of Lascars in British home ports is it intended to call a conference of British ship-owners who employ this kind of labour in order to consider this subject; and can he make any statement on the subject?
§ Earl WINTERTONAs representing the Secretary of State, I presided over a conference of representatives of the ship-owners concerned, who met last week at the India Office, where general assent was given to the proposition that Lascars in the United Kingdom should only be housed at places approved by the India Office. Detailed arrangements for giving effect to this decision are being made.
§ Mr. SHINWELLWhen this question of the housing of Lascars was under consideration, was consideration also given to the improved housing of British seamen?
§ Earl WINTERTONThat has nothing whatever to do with the case.