§ 11. Mr. BYRNEasked the First Lord of the Admiralty if his attention has been drawn to the treatment of sailors who have had the misfortune of losing their effects on ships which have been submarined; if he is aware that James Duggan, 46, Portland Row, Dublin, employed on the ss. "Amneree," lost his outfit, 678 valued at £10, and was twenty-three hours hi an open boat after the "Amneree" was torpedoed; if he is aware that this claim was rejected by the Committee on cases of hardship; and if he will see that this case will be sympathetically reconsidered?
Mr. ROBERTSMy right hon. Friend has asked me to reply to this question. The facts are substantially as stated in the question. I should explain that the Committee on cases of hardship is limited to the consideration of cases in which the seaman had insufficient means or opportunity for insuring against the risk of loss of his effects. I am informed that the reason why this particular claim could not be admitted was that the claimant had had every opportunity of insuring against this particular loss, having had his attention specially drawn to the matter by the Captain and Board of Trade Superintendent, but preferred not to insure.