HL Deb 14 July 1876 vol 230 cc1432-4

Amendments reported (according to Order.)

Clause 4 (Sending unseaworthy ships to sea a misdemeanour.)

THE DUKE OF SOMERSET

moved to leave out the first paragraph of the clause, and substitute the following:— Every person, including the managing owner, who sends, or attempts to send, or is party to sending or attempting to send, a British ship to sea in such unseaworthy state that the life of any person is thereby endangered, shall be guilty of a misdemeanour if it shall be proved that he did not use all reasonable means to ensure her being sent to sea in a seaworthy state, or that her going to sea in such unseaworthy state was under the circumstances reasonable and justifiable.

THE DUKE OF RICHMOND AND GORDON

said, he had hoped that the Government had succeeded in removing all objections to the clause as it stood by the Amendment which he proposed to move—that it should apply to all persons and not merely to the managing owner. He could not accept the Amendment of the noble Duke.

Amendment negatived.

THE DUKE OF RICHMOND AND GORDON

moved to leave out the words—"and the managing owner of any British ship so sent to sea from any port in the United Kingdom." The omission of these words made it clear that "every person" who sent, or was party to sending, a ship to sea in such unseaworthy condition as to endanger the life of any person was guilty of a misdemeanour.

Motion agreed to; words struck out; Clause, as amended, agreed to.

Clause 24 (Penalty for carrying deck loads of timber in winter.)

THE DUKE OF RICHMOND AND GORDON,

in connection with the Proviso that a master or owner should not be liable to any penalty under this section, moved the following additional exception:— If he proves that the ship sailed from the port at which the wood goods were loaded as deck cargo at such time before the sixteenth day of April as allowed a reasonable interval according to the ordinary duration of the voyage for the ship to arrive after that day at the said port in the United Kingdom, and by reason of an exceptionally favourable voyage arrived before that day.

Motion agreed to; words added.

Proviso, that nothing in this section "shall affect any foreign ship coming into any port of the United Kingdom under stress of weather, &c," amended by leaving out the words "foreign ship coming," and inserting in lieu thereof, "ship not bound to any port in the United Kingdom which comes,"

Further Amendments made; Bill to be read 3a on Friday next; and to be printed as amended. (No. 177.)

House adjourned at a quarter past Seven o'clock, to Monday next, Eleven o'clock.