NAVAL DISCIPLINE (DOMINION NAVAL FORCES) BILL. (Hansard, 15 December 1911)

HL Deb 15 December 1911 vol 10 cc1135-6 1135

§ Order of the Day for the Second Reading read.

§ THE LORD PRIVY SEAL (EARL CARRINGTON)
I ask your Lordships to be good enough to give a Second Reading to 1136 the Naval Discipline (Dominion Naval Forces) Bill. This Bill gives effect to an agreement that was come to at the Imperial Conference that the ships and fleets of the Royal Navy and the ships of the Dominions when co-operating together shall be treated as belonging to the same service so far as discipline is concerned. The effect of the Bill will be to place the Naval Forces of the Dominions in the same position in relation to British Naval Forces and to each other as if both were an integral part of the Imperial Naval Forces. This Bill was read without any comment and with very general satisfaction in another place, and therefore it is with great confidence that I ask your Lordships to be good enough to give this Bill a Second Reading.

§ Moved, That the Bill be now read 2^a.—(Earl Carrington.)

§ VISCOUNT KNUTSFORD
My Lords, having had this question under my consideration some years ago I may, perhaps, be allowed to say a few words in support of this Bill, brought in so appropriately by one who was himself the popular Governor of the then Colony of New South Wales. I should like, however, to ask whether the actual Bill has been laid before the Dominion Governments. It may have been thought unnecessary to do so because, as I understand, it carries out the exact provisions agreed to at the Imperial Conference. Does the noble Earl know whether this Bill itself has been laid before the Dominion Governments?

§ EARL CARRINGTON
I believe not.

§ VISCOUNT KNUTSFORD
If it had been laid before the Dominion Governments and received their approval it would assuredly have all the more received our assent. But whether that is so or not, no one can doubt the extreme value of this Bill, not only in itself as providing for the discipline of the Dominion Naval Forces, but also because it meets the views of the different Dominion Governments represented at the Conference. Therefore I hope that your Lordships will not only not hesitate to give it a Second Reading but will agree to pass it through all its stages to-day.

§ On Question, Bill read 2^a.

§ Committee negatived: Then (Standing Order No. XXXIX having been suspended) Bill read 3^a, and passed.