HC Deb 12 October 1916 vol 86 cc194-6
87. Mr. PETO

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether any definite steps have been taken in order that the captains of merchant ships sunk by the enemy may not be required to pay the cost of their subsistence and passage money home?

Mr. RUNCIMAN

Since the hon. Gentleman put a previous question on this subject the matter has been carefully considered, but it has not been found possible to arrange that the cost of subsistence and passage home of masters of vessels sunk by the enemy shall in all cases be borne out of public funds, but cases of special hardship will be considered and dealt with as they arise.

Mr. PETO

What does the right hon. Gentleman mean by "cases of special hardship"? Does he mean cases in which the shipowners refuse to pay the cost of their subsistence and passage home?

Mr. RUNCIMAN

No, Sir; I do not mean cases in which the shipowners refuse to do what I may call "the proper thing," but cases where the men are stranded the other side of the world and where the facilities are such that we cannot expect private enterprise to supply them.

Mr. PETO

Does the right hon. Gentleman think it is a proper thing that a master of a merchant ship sunk abroad should have to pay his passage home out of his earnings, having no other sources?

Mr. RUNCIMAN

It is not for me to express an opinion about what is Statute law—I believe it is governed by Statute law—but I must say that any shipowner who does behave in that way is behaving very shabbily.

Mr. ASHLEY

To whom should the master apply? Should he apply to the British Consul?

Mr. RUNCIMAN

In all cases ships' masters, officers, and men who are in that plight should put themselves in communication with the nearest British Consul.

Mr. BUTCHER

If the shipowners will not pay the passage home of these men, will the Government pay it?

Mr. SPEAKER

I think we ought to pass on.

89. Mr. PETO

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether cases have arisen where, in accordance with the terms of the Merchant Shipping Act, the pay of officers and men of the merchant ships sunk by the enemy has been terminated as from the time of the loss of the vessel; and whether, to avoid additional hardship in the way of monetary loss, he can take any steps which will ensure that the crews of merchant ships sunk in this way shall be paid until the time of their arrival home?

Mr. RUNCIMAN

Under Section 158 of the Merchant Shipping Act, 1894, the legal right to wages ceases at the time of the loss of the ship, and the Board of Trade have no power to require wages to be paid until the officers and men arrive home. I feel confident, however, that shipowners will give sympathetic consideration to the claims of officers and men in the circumstances stated.

Mr. PETO

Would the right hon. Gentleman consider the advisabiliy of introducing some sort of amending Bill to the Merchant Shipping Act, seeing that it was passed under circumstances wholly different from those of the War now going on?