Lieut.-Commander Kenworthy asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether, with regard. tothe proposal no longer to supply. anti-Yirney guards for service in British anerchant ships in Chinese. waters open to piratical attack, he will late the reason for this proposal.
Mr. Alexander.—After' long. and careful consideration of all the te-Jevant factors, the late Government, in March, 1929, decided to. wi diene as from April 1, 1930), the yards provided by His Majesty's Forces, as there were other more appropriate measures open to. the Fhipping companies for exercising effective control over the passeng= ers by whom the piracies are com Imitted, The date for giving effect to the decision is at present being Surther considered, in the light of reposals which have been made by" the shipping companies concerned. my right hon, friend aware that the China Coast Association British Officers. have. protested aguinst the withdrawal of these soords, and will he reconsider this Mr. Alexandor—1 have already indented that that point is_ under consideration, but I would add that the notice which was given by the: fate Government, as far back as March, 1929, did give a pretty, adequate opportunity for these com Panies to make other arrangements.
Col, Howard Bury—Does not the yetention of a number of cruisers help to stop the piracy in these Mr. Thurtle—On a point of! order. Ought not the right hon. gentleman to have first satisfied mself a8 to the truth of his statement before putting the question?
Mr. J. Jones—Before the Secretary of State replies, may I ask how long the right hon. gentleman opposite has been the champion of the Roman Catholic Church?
Mr. Henderson—In answer to the supplementary question of the right hon, gentleman the Member for West Woolwich (Sir K. Wood), T may say that I must trust to my; disposal, but it is very difficult for me to keep pace if T have to take notice of everything that appears in the Press, Sir K. Wood—Surely, the right! hon. gentleman considers that this is a sufficiently serious matter; and does not he know that, since this question appeared on the paper, there has been a communication in "The newspaper from the' Secretary of the Bible Churchmen's Mission, expressing his anxiety, not only as the fate of the people mentioned in the question, but also of a number other young people?
Mr. Henderson—There, again, it fe a newspaper report, and. the newspaper report that I have quot-says that the persons referred in the question are safe, Sit K. Wood.—Does not the right hon. gentleman consider it his duty to make further inquiries?
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.