§ 25. Lieut.-Colonel HENEAGEasked the President of the Board of Trade if his attention has been brought to the hardship which accrues to sailors by receiving, their pay on shore instead of on the ship; is he aware that many men have to pay for a night's board and lodging and meals on shore while waiting in some cases days for the payment; that this delay is caused by the Board of Trade regulations requiring the attendance of an official of the Board of Trade at these payments on shore; and whether he will consider the 821 attendance of a Board of Trade representative on the ship, especially in the case of large liners, in cases in which the owners and men agree to this course being followed?
§ Mr. W. GRAHAMThe Merchant Shipping Acts require that seamen on foreign-going ships must be discharged and paid their wages in the presence of a Board of Trade officer. The Board's arrangements for the discharge and payment of seamen enable the wishes of shipowners and seamen to be met to a large extent in the manner suggested in the question; at ports where the large liners are dealt with, a high proportion of seamen are discharged and receive their pay on board ship. The Board could not make such arrangements general without a large increase of staff, which I do not think would be justified.
§ Lieut.-Colonel HENEAGEWill the right hon. Gentleman take steps to see that this is brought to the notice of some of the shipowners?
§ Mr. GRAHAMThere is no difficulty in doing that, but probably the hon. and gallant Member has cases of foreign ships in mind. If there are such cases I shall be glad to help.