§ Mr. HAVELOCK WILSONasked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware that the steamer "Gladiolus" signed a crew on board at South Shields on 22nd March, 1909, instead of engaging the crew at the mercantile marine office; whether 881W he is aware that only four deck hands were engaged instead of six, as provided by the Board of Trade Regulations, and whether only two of the deck hands were qualified A.B.'s; whether he can state if any of the Board of Trade surveyors visited this ship for the purpose of inquiring whether she had an efficient crew; and whether the deputy superintendent who witnessed the engagement of the men reported this vessel to the principal detaining officer?
Mr. TENNANTThe crew of the steamship "Gladiolus" were engaged on board the vessel at South Shields on 26th March last. The deck portion of the crew consisted of three qualified A.B.'s, two sailors, and two apprentices of over two years, and 18 months' service respectively. The vessel accordingly carried the number of efficient deck hands required by the Instructions recently issued, and the deputy superintendent who witnessed the engagement of the crew had no reason to think that the vessel was not properly manned. Accordingly he did not communicate with the detaining officer, as he would have done under the Instructions if sufficient number of efficient deck hands had not been engaged.