§ MR. PIRIE (Aberdeen, N.)To ask the President of the Board of Trade if his attention has been called to the number of recent cases of loss and stranding of the following steam trawlers sailing out of the port of Aberdeen, without any inquiry having been held by the Board of Trade, viz., the "Star of Hope," stranded at Newburgh and two lives lost; the 1469 "Badger," stranded and lost on the West Coast of the Orkneys in May 1906, and one life lost; the "Undaunted," stranded in January; the "Star of the Isles," also in January 1907, wrecked on the Scaurs of Cruden; on Friday last the "Irish Prince," wrecked and sunk at the Isle of Copinshay (Orkneys); and if he can state whether, in the latter case, an inquiry will be held, and why, in the other cases, no inquiry of any kind has been held in Aberdeen.
§ (Answered by Mr. Kearley.) The attention of the Board of Trade has been called to the strandings of steam trawlers referred to in the Question. Preliminary inquiry was held in each case by the Principal Officer of Customs, and the evidence taken has been carefully considered, but, having regard to the fact that Scottish fishing vessels have not hitherto been required to carry certificated skippers, the Board have not thought it necessary to order formal investigations. In the case of the "Star of Hope" I have to refer the hon. Member to the Answer given by the President of the Board of Trade, on the 12th June last,†to a Question put by the hon. Member for Kincardineshire. In the case of the "Badger" the mate, who was in charge, was drowned. In the case of the "Star of the Isles" the papers were referred to the Scottish Office, and I am informed that Thomas Scott and James Muir have been ordered to be tried by the sheriff and jury at Aberdeen. The evidence in the case of the "Irish Prince" shows that the stranding was owing to the accidental fouling of her propeller by the trawl net, and the Board of Trade are of opinion that no useful purpose would be served by holding a formal investigation.