HC Deb 07 April 1909 vol 3 c1241W
Mr. BELLAIRS

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty why a chaplain has been appointed to the naval depot at Sydney; why has this officer been granted Colonial and house allowances, while other naval officers in the dockyard do not receive these allowances and have to live in a hulk; and whether he can state how many naval chaplains there are on the Australian station at the present moment and how many men, and how many naval chaplains, and how many men were there seven years ago?

Mr. McKENNA

A naval chaplain has been appointed for duty at the naval depot at Sydney, because the arrangement previously in force, under which a civilian chaplain gave part of his time only to this duty, was not satisfactory. The officer has not been granted a Colonial allowance, but receives the civil and house allowances usually granted to naval chaplains serving in shore establishments. Certain other naval officers appointed for service in the depot also receive house allowances or occupy houses. There are now five naval chaplains (including the one at Sydney depôt) now serving on the Australian station, and the total number of men is about 3,250. In 1902 there was one naval chaplain, in addition to the civilian chaplain partially employed at Sydney dep6t, and there were about 2,400 men. The difference is accounted for by the larger number of ships allowed chaplains in their complement which are now serving on the station.