§ Order for Third Reading read.
§ LORD EDMOND FITZMAURICEwished to explain how it happened that 1928 he was not acquainted with the fact when he put a Question on the subject to the First Lord of the Admiralty yesterday, that £12,000 had been voted as compensation to the owners of certain boats on the Coast of Africa engaged in the pearl fisheries, which were destroyed by Her Majesty's Ship Thetis. The item had been inserted not in the Navy Estimates, but in the Civil Service Estimates, where he should never have thought of looking for it, and the discussion on it came on very late on the night of the 10th instant when there were very few Members in the House.
§ MR. HUNTsaid, the Vote was placed in the Civil Service Estimates on the principle that the Department which administers a Vote should take the Vote on its Estimates.
§ MR. SHAW-LEFEVREsaid, nobody could suppose that this Vote would have appeared on the Civil Service Estimates, as there was an item in the Navy Estimates for damage done by Her Majesty's vessels.
§ MR. W. H. SMITHpointed out, however, that in this particular case the Vote had to be administered not by the Admiralty, but by the Foreign Office.
§ And it being now twenty minutes past Six of the clock, the House suspended its Sitting.
§ The House resumed its Sitting at Nine of the clock.