§ Mr. MARTINasked the President of the Board of Trade whether, in view of the fact that the want of proper regulations for life-saving apparatus was the cause of the loss of many persons on the "Titanic," he intends to suspend the head of the Marine Department of the Board of 42 Trade and to reorganise that Department on a business basis?
Mr. BUXTONI propose to await the Report of the Court of Inquiry before considering whether any blame is to be attached to my Department in connection with the "Titanic" disaster.
§ Major ARCHER-SHEEasked whether the "Titanic" Court of Inquiry will have power to report, under Section 466 of the Merchant Shipping Act of 1894, on the culpability or otherwise of the Board of Trade itself in neglecting to issue any Regulations whatever for the efficient conduct of wireless communication between passenger ships flying the British flag, in view of the fact that several passenger ships have been equipped with wireless telegraphy installations for many years past, and that regulations concerning such installations have been issued by several foreign countries whose mercantile marine interests are not comparable with those of this country?
Mr. BUXTONAmong the questions submitted to the Court is the provision of wireless telegraphy. I must point out to the hon. Member that there are existing Rules and Regulations under the Radio-telegraphic Convention of 1903, and the licences issued by the Post Office, which impose Regulations in regard to wireless communication on British ships, especially in regard to messages from ships in distress. The question of the best method of dealing with the question of wireless as applied to ships is receiving very careful attention.
§ Mr. MORTONasked whether the British public and others interested will be represented at the Inquiry by the Wreck Commission now proceeding with regard to the loss of the steamship "Titanic," seeing that the Board of Trade is on its trial charged with serious neglect of duty in certifying that the steamship "Titanic" was properly equipped for 3,400 passengers and crew?
§ The PRIME MINISTERThe interests of the general public will be specially represented by the Law Officers of the Crown and Counsel appearing with them at the Inquiry.
§ Mr. MORTONIs the hon. Gentleman aware that the Attorney-General, neither in his speech nor in his twenty-six points, referred to the action of the Board of Trade in certifying that the "Titanic" was properly equipped?
§ The PRIME MINISTERThe right hon. and learned Member says that that is not so.
§ Mr. MORTONThen I will read it again.
§ Mr. SPEAKERThe hon. Member had better put his question down.
§ Mr. FARRELLI beg to ask the Attorney-General the following question, of which I have given him private notice: To state the number of parties at present represented by counsel at the Inquiry into the loss of the "Titanic"; whether it is true that whilst the Board of Trade, the owners, and seamen are all represented, no representation has yet been allowed to the relatives of any passengers, or class of passengers, who lost their lives in the disaster; whether it is fair to these people that the Inquiry should proceed without some direct representation being accorded to them; and whether he will at the opening of the Inquiry to-morrow press on the Court the expediency of granting from the very start of this Inquiry some representation to the relatives and friends of passengers who were lost or injured in this disaster?
§ The ATTORNEY-GENERAL (Sir Rufus Isaacs)The decision of the Court, as I apprehended it, was that direct representation could not be allowed to the representatives of any individual passenger. The Court has not refused to allow classes of passengers to be represented. They are already represented by the Law Officers of th Crown, but if they desire direct separate representation they should appoint representatives, and then apply.
§ Mr. FARRELLAs we represent in this matter a number of the relatives and friends of third-class or steerage passengers who were lost in this unfortunate disaster, and as we have arranged for counsel to apply to the Court to-morrow for the right to be represented, may I ask the right hon. Gentleman whether, in the interests of fair play to the steerage passengers, he will support that application?
§ Sir RUFUS ISAACSSo long as the counsel who appears represents a class of passengers and not an individual passenger, certainly I will support it, and I have already indicated that I would do so.
§ Mr. FARRELLI wish to be fair. Of course we cannot represent the whole of these passengers, but we represent some 200 out of 800, and I ask the right hon.
44 Gentleman whether he will support this application in the morning?
§ Sir RUFUS ISAACSI quite agree that it would be impossible for anybody to represent the whole of the passengers of any particular class, but I gather that it is equally impossible for the Court to allow every individual passenger to be represented; but where it is a question of representing a body of 200 of a particular class of passengers, I do not imagine that there would be any difficulty whatever in obtaining representation, and I should certainly support the application to the best of my ability.
§ Mr. FARRELLI beg to thank the right hon. Gentleman.
§ Mr. WEDGWOODIs there any precedent for refusing to the representatives of deceased passengers the right to appear at this Inquiry?
§ Sir RUFUS ISAACSOf course there is with regard to individual passengers.
§ Mr. WEDGWOODWhy was the application of Mr. Champness refused?
§ Sir RUFUS ISAACSBecause it was an application to represent an individual passenger. As I understand, Lord Mersey said if one passenger were allowed to be represented the friends of every passenger would have the right to apply to be represented; and it would not be possible to conduct the inquiry if that were the case. There would be no difficulty so long as a number, some 200 of a particular class of passengers, were represented.
§ Mr. WEDGWOODIs it not the case—if my memory carries me back correctly—that in the case of the "Oceana" private passengers and deceased passengers were represented?