§ 6. Mr. HAYESasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that the steamship "Queen Maud," of Glasgow, and the steamship "Briar Park," of Greenock, signed on Arab crews at the port of Birkenhead on the 22nd and 23rd instant, respectively; that these Arab seamen were brought to Birkenhead from Manchester and South Shields; whether these Arabs, whose address is given in the ships' articles as 10, Chaper Road, South Shields, claimed British nationality; whether the Board of Trade officers satisfied themselves that these Arabs are not subject to the Aliens Restriction (Amendment) Act, 1919, Section 5 (2), and the Special Restrictions (Alien Coloured Seamen) Order, which applies to all British ports as from the beginning of this year; and whether he will consider the appointment of a committee to inquire into and report upon the existing arrangements for engaging crews for ships signing articles in British ports?
§ Sir P. CUNLIFFE-LISTERFifteen Arab seamen out of a crew of 40 were engaged on the "Queen Maud," and seven Arab seamen out of a crew of 25 were engaged on the "Briar Park." The men for the "Queen Maud" came from South Shields to Liverpool for engagement; it is not known from what port the men for the "Briar Park" came, but six of the seven gave Cardiff addresses. All the men produced police registration certificates, and all were engaged at the standard rate of wages laid down by the National Maritime Board. The statutory requirements were fully complied with in every case. This question is being carefully watched, and the existing requirements, which are quite clear, are being steadily enforced. I do not think there is sufficient reason for the, appointment of a committee such as the hon. Member suggests.
§ Mr. HAYESMay I ask whether the right hon. Gentleman has been informed of the intense feeling that was created in the port while these Arab seamen were being released from the forecastle and were being signed on; whether it is not the case that the Conservative party's pledge during the Election, "British seamen for British ships," is not being carried out; and how soon the right hon. Gentleman proposes to give effect to it?
§ Sir P. CUNLIFFE-LISTEROn the contrary, so far from that being the case, the special Home Office Order with regard to coloured seamen is being carried out.
§ Mr. HAYESIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that that special Order has not served its purpose of preventing the importation of Arab seamen on the Merseyside while there are 5,500 British seamen who are unemployed, and what steps does the right hon. Gentleman propose to take in that regard?
§ Sir P. CUNLIFFE-LISTERWhat the Order was designed to do, and what it has done effectively, is to keep fresh entrants from coming into this country.
Commander WILLIAMSDoes not my right hon. Friend think it is really time to tighten up these Regulations very considerably?
§ Sir P. CUNLIFFE-LISTERIt is not quite so simple as that, because the great majority of these men are British subjects, and all of them have a British domicile.
§ Mr. HAYESMay I ask whether they have not got their citizenship merely by the adoption of addresses within British territory, and whether it is the case that the language test is not always applied before they sign on?
§ Sir P. CUNLIFFE-LISTERThe language test is applied, and, with regard to the first part of the hon. Member's question, that is exactly what the Home Office Order prevents, because it compels every alien to register. If he does not register, he is liable to prosecution, and he is prosecuted.
§ Mr. HAYESMay I be allowed to press this point? Although the address given was "10, Chaper Road, South Shields," obviously these Arab seamen are not natives of Great Britain.
§ Sir P. CUNLIFFE-LISTERI did not say that they were originally natives of Great Britain, but the difficulty is that you are dealing with a number of men who are either British citizens or have, under British law, a British domicile. The real point, and the point upon which we are concentrating our attention, is stopping further aliens from coming into this country.