§ 55. Mr. T. WILLIAMSasked the First Lord of the Admiralty if he has yet considered the petition of the three dockyard labourers in Malta; and, if so, will he state the nature of his reply?
§ The CIVIL LORD of the ADMIRALTY (Captain Euan Wallace)The hon. Member presumably refers to the three dockyard workmen recently discharged from Malta Dockyard following conviction for seditious propaganda. If this is so, no petition from these men has been received at the Admiralty, and the second part of the question does not, therefore, arise.
§ Mr. WILLIAMSAs the petition will ultimately reach the Admiralty, will they give sympathetic consideration to the case of these three labourers, not one of whom had any intention of engaging in seditious propaganda in any shape or form, but merely earned a few coppers by selling papers?
§ Captain WALLACEI shall wait to see the petition.