§ Mr. HOLTasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies (1) whether Australia has yet agreed to adopt the provisions of the Maritime Conventions Act; and (2) whether he is aware that on 14th December, 1911, the Secretary to the Board of Trade assured this House that Canada, South Africa, New Zealand, and Newfoundland had definitely agreed to adopt the provisions of the Maritime Conventions Act; and, seeing that uniformity of law throughout the Empire with regard to the subjects of this Act is a matter of importance, whether he will press upon these Dominions and Colonies the desirability of passing legislation to adopt the provisions of this Act without any avoidable loss of time?
Mr. HARCOURTThe Maritime Conventions Act, 1911, has been sent to the self-governing Dominions, and they have been invited to adhere to the Conventions and to pass legislation on the lines of the Act. The Commonwealth of Australia has in reply expressed its intention of adhering to the Conventions, but no other Dominion has yet replied. The Conventions are not yet in force, but the position of the self-governing Dominions is being and will be borne in mind, and they will be communicated with in due course.
§ Mr. HOLTIs my right hon. Friend aware that the Convention is in force in regard to this country, and will he try to get the Colonies to fall into line with this country as soon as possible?