§ SIR SEYMOUR KING (Hull, Central)To ask the President of the Board of Trade whether his attention has been drawn to the case of the sinking, on the 17th May last, of the sloop "Horace," by collision with the steamship "Zero," In the River Humber, resulting in the death of Harold Grimbleby; why no Board of Trade inquiry has been held; and whether he has received a request from the parents of the dead man for an inquiry to be held.
(Answered by Mr. Lloyd-George.) A request for inquiry has been received from the representatives of the relatives of the man who lost his life by the collision between the sloop "Horace" and the steamer "Zero." Depositions were made by the masters of both vessels before the Receivers of Wreck and an inquest was held at Hull. As the collision was found not to be the fault of the "Zero" and the master of the sloop has no certificate, the Board of Trade would not be justified in incurring the expense 1330 of a formal inquiry under the Merchant Shipping Acts. I am advised that the master of the "Zero" attempted to manœuvre his vessel into position so as to lower his boat on the spot where the men were expected to be, and only desisted from putting his boat in the water when he saw the sloop's boat with the survivors in her. But the coroner stated after his inquiry that it would have made no difference if half a dozen boats had been launched.