§ MR. HEALYasked the Postmaster General, in reference to the seizure of the "Irish World" in the post, Upon what authority the Government translate the word "perte" in the phrase "Encas de perte d'un envoi recommendé," in Article 6 of the Postal Convention of Paris, to mean "a thing lost which cannot be found;" and, if he has any objection to lay upon the Table of the House the authorized translation of Article 6 which has been made from the French for the other countries included in the Postal Union?
§ THE ATTORNEY GENERAL FOR IRELAND (Mr. W. M. JOHNSON)Sir, my right hon. Friend the Postmaster General has asked the Irish Office to answer this Question. The authority on which the Government translate the French word perte in this sentence as "a loss of a thing which cannot be found" is that that phrase is the accurate equivalent in English for the word here used in French. The Convention is in the French language; but there is no authorized translation. Each country party to the Convention translates it for itself.
§ MR. HEALYasked if the right hon. and learned Gentleman could refer him to any authority for this translation, literary or otherwise?
§ THE ATTORNEY GENERAL FOR IRELAND (Mr. W. M. JOHNSON)I think the hon. Gentleman can hardly require any such authority. I apprehend the origin of the word in the modern classic French is the Latin word perdo. It has its equivalent in the Greek word apoballo, meaning "to cast away from you and absolutely destroy."