§ 2. Colonel DAYasked the President of the Board of Trade whether his attention has been called to the case in which a Cardiff shipowner was sentenced to a year's imprisonment for habitually causing his ships to be overloaded, thus endangering the lives of British seamen on the high seas; will he consider calling the attention of the Council of the League of Nations to the question of overloading ships so that international action can be taken; and will he consider the introduction of Regulations making it compulsory that a certificate of loading, giving the precise draft of water, should be lodged at the British Consulate by every British shipmaster before the ship leaves a foreign port?
§ Sir B. CHADWICKI am aware of the case to which the hon. Member refers. The question whether further measures can usefully be taken for the purpose of preventing the overloading of ships at foreign parts is being considered, but I am not at present in a position to make any statement on the subject.
§ Colonel DAYWill the hon. Gentleman consult the right hon. Gentleman the Foreign Secretary to see whether the suggestion contained in the question cannot be adopted?
§ Sir B. CHADWICKThe matter is under very close consideration by the Board of Trade.
§ Mr. GRIFFITHSIs the hon. Gentleman aware that the right hon. Gentleman the Member for Carnarvon Boroughs (Mr. Lloyd George) raised the Plimsoll line by three points, and has not the time arrived for the Government to reestablish the original line?
§ Sir B. CHADWICKI shall require notice of that question.
Commander WILLIAMSCan the hon. Gentleman tell us if there is any chance of his Department coming to a decision in the next few months, so that we can legislate on the subject next Session?
§ Sir B. CHADWICKI think the result of the present examination will be available in the next few weeks.