Mr. CATHCART WASONasked the First Lord of the Admiralty if he is aware that a man who has been legally judged the father of an illegitimate child and condemned to pay aliment, has escaped his liability by joining the Navy; whether, in view of the fact that the War Office in like cases have power to deduct and do deduct monthly a certain amount from a 202W soldier's pay and remit to the mother, he will ascertain whether the power of the Admiralty is equal to that of the War Office in the administration of justice and upholding the decisions of Courts of law; and, if not, whether he proposes to take any action in the matter?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAI am not aware of any specific case similar to that to which the hon. Member alludes. As regards the power of making compulsory stoppages from the pay of sailors for the purpose suggested, the Admiralty can only obtain powers similar to those of the War Office by means of legislation, and as in the majority of cases which occur in the Navy it is found possible to persuade men to accept their liabilities voluntarily, I am not at present prepared to ask for legislative powers.