§ Mr. PEARCEasked the President of the Local Government Board if he can state how many licensed Chinese boarding-houses there are in Poplar and Limehouse; whether he can state the names of the persons licensed to keep such houses; and how many boarders those houses are licensed to accommodate?
Mr. BUXTON:There are at the present moment no Chinese boarding houses in Poplar or Limehouse licensed under the Merchant Shipping Act, but By-laws have recently been made by the London County Council and approved by the Board of Trade, and an Order in Council directing that none but persons duly licensed in pursuance of such By-laws shall keep seamen's lodging houses or let lodgings to seamen has been made. Steps are also being taken by the London County Council to require all keepers of seamen's lodging houses within their area to make application to them for licences.