§ 17. Mr. Walter Edwardsasked the Home Secretary whether, in view of a case where a condition was imposed by a court that a lad who was charged and bound over for stealing should join the Merchant Navy, he will take steps to prevent such a condition, which is strongly objected to by all bodies connected with the shipping industry, being imposed?
§ Mr. H. MorrisonI have made inquiry and am informed that in the case referred to by my hon. Friend the lad was placed on probation, but no condition that he should join the Merchant Navy was inserted in the Order.
§ Mr. EdwardsDid my right hon. Friend read the newspapers last Friday, when a full report of this case was given, and it was said quite definitely that such a condition was made, and if it was made, will my right hon. Friend agree that cases of this sort are so insulting to the Merchant Navy that something should be done in the matter very quickly indeed?
§ Mr. MorrisonI quite appreciate the point. I did read the newspaper reports, but I am advised by the competent authorities that in this case the newspaper reports were, no doubt inadvertently, inaccurate.