§ 66. Mr. KELLYasked the President of the Board of Trade how many men are engaged on the lighthouse service abroad at the Bahamas, Falkland Islands, Sombrero Island, and Morocco, Cape Spartel?
Mr. WILLIAMSWith the hon. Members's permission I Will circulate the particulars for which he asks in the OFFICIAL REPORT.
§ Following are tire particulars:
§ So far as the Board of Trade information goes, the following is the staff employed in the lighthouse services mentioned:
- Bahamas.—28 lighthouse keepers.
- Depot staff, six officers and men.
- Steam tender, 30 officers and men.
- Falkland Islands.—Three lighthouse keepers.
- Sombrero.—Five lighthouse keepers.
- Cape Spartel.—Three lighthouse keepers and six other persons, including a military guard.
§ 67. Mr. KELLYasked the President of the Board of Trade the number of men employed in lighthouses abroad at Bombay, Burma, Calcutta, Ceylon, and Madras?
§ The UNDER-SECRETARY of STATE for INDIA (Earl Winterton)I have been asked to answer this. question. Complete information on the subject is not available and my Noble Friend would 1178 not feel justified in asking the Government of India to furnish an exhaustive list of the personnel employed at all the lighthouses lighting the coasts of the provinces mentioned, but if the hon. Member will specify more precisely the particular lighthouses with regard to which the information is desired, I will endeavour to obtain it, so far as India is concerned. Any question which he may wish to ask regarding lighthouses off the coast of Ceylon should be addressed to the Secretary of State for the Colonies.
§ Mr. KELLYIn view of the accounts which are to be presented to this House, might we not be furnished with the information, in order that we may deal with the matter?
§ Earl WINTERTONI shall be always ready to afford information to hon. Members opposite on the matter, but I must point out that the Government of India are hardy in the same position as His Majesty's Government who have at their disposal statistical departments which the Indian Government have not. At the time of the Incheape Commission in India there was a specific recommendation, but I think it was pointed out that it was not fair to expect the Government of India, without spending a large sum of money, to get statistical information on all sorts of questions. If I were to ask for this information it would cost the taxpayers £40 or £50 which I do not think would be justified.