§ MR. PIRIE (Aberdeen, N.)To ask the President of the Board of Trade if his attention has been called to the result to merchants and traders of the operation of the clauses habitually inserted by shipping companies having the command of great lines of communications in their bills of lading and other shipping documents, whereby such companies shall be relieved from liability for loss or damage arising from such companies' negligence in handling goods carried by them; and, if so, if he would take into consideration the desirability of initiating legislation in this country on the lines of the statute passed by the Congress of the United States, and known as the Harter Act, whereby such clauses are declared null and void, and whereby any person contravening the said statute is liable to a penalty of 2,000 dollars.
(Answered by Mr. Gerald Balfour.) My attention has frequently been called to the insertion in bills of lading of clauses relieving shipowners in certain cases from liability in respect of goods carried on board their vessels. The question of such provisions being inserted in bills of lading seems to me to be one which should be settled between the parties interested, and I am not prepared to introduce legislation in the direction suggested.