§ COLONEL HILL (Bristol, S.)asked the Secretary to the Board of Trade, If he will state the total sum that has been paid into the Consolidated Fund on account of unclaimed wages of seamen, and also on account of deceased seamen's effects?
§ THE SECRETARY (Baron HENRY DE WORMS) (Liverpool, East Toxteth)The receipts from unclaimed wages of living seamen have amounted to £3,591 9s. 10d., and were paid to the Exchequer as an extra receipt on the Vote for Relief of Distressed Seamen. The sums paid over for wages and effects of deceased seam en have amounted to £250,900 19s. 4d. This latter sum was formerly payable to the Exchequer under the Merchant Seamen's Winding Up Act, 1851; but since April, 1883, they have been payable to the Mercantile Marine Fund, under the Merchant Shipping (Expenses) Act, 1882. I may add that the net cost of winding up the Merchant Seamen's Fund up to December, 1884,reached £1,007,266, which sum was provided by Votes of Parliament.