§ Mr. GIBBINSasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that at the signing off of the s.s. "Diplomat" at Liverpool, on the 20th November, the deputy-superintendent of the Board of Trade had with him no Forms "M," and that therefore the seamen who desired to exercise a right under the Merchant Shipping Act were thereby deprived of this right; and will be give instructions to Board of Trade officials that such form must always be available to seamen when signing off?
§ Mr. H. WILLIAMSI understand that the deputy-superintendent who went on board the s.s. "Diplomat" to witness the discharge of the crew on 20th November omitted, owing to an oversight, to take any Forms "M" with him. Three members of the crew desired to reserve claims when signing the release, but they were not deprived of this right: they went to the Mercantile Marine Office and were paid their balances of wages and signed release on Form "M" within half-an-hour of expressing their intention. Board of Trade superintendents have standing instructions that seamen who wish to reserve a claim against the owner or master of a ship at the time of discharge are to be given facilities for signing for release on Form "M," and no further instructions on this subject are necessary.
§ Mr. GIBBINSasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that at the signing off of the steamship "Archimedes" at Liverpool on 1st November and of the steamship "Demosthenes" on 22nd November, the crews had considerable difficulty in establishing their right to a discharge on Form M; that, owing to the difficulty, many of the crews had to sign off without exercising this right; that the crews were told in 850W the Board of Trade offices that if they did not sign a clear discharge they would forfeit their jobs; and will he inquire into the matter?
§ Mr. H. WILLIAMSI am informed that when the crew of the steamship "Archimedes" were discharged at Liverpool on 1st November, several members of the crew expressed a wish to reserve claims against the owners. The owners' representative asked to be allowed to defer payment of wages in these cases until the next day, pending consultation with his principals. This was done, and on the next day the men were paid their balances of wages and reserved their claims, signing the release on Form "M." The transaction was completed within 48 hours of the ship's arrival. I am also informed that when the crew of the steamship "Demosthenes" were discharged on 22nd November no member of the crew expressed the wish to sign release on Form "M." The local officers of the Board of Trade report that nothing is known of any threat that if the crews of these vessels did not sign a clear discharge they would forfeit their jobs.