HL Deb 06 March 1906 vol 153 cc218-20

House in Committee (according to Order).

Clauses 1 to 15 agreed to.

Clause 16.

EARL RUSSELL

said this was the clause to which he had called the attention of the noble and learned Lord in charge of the Bill on the Second Reading. He did not profess completely to understand the meaning of the clause. The section which he proposed to amend provided that— The insurable value, in the case of a steamship, includes also the machinery, boilers, and coals and engine stores if owned by the assured, and, in the case of a ship engaged in a special trade, the ordinary fittings requisite for that trade. This provision seemed to exclude the case of a ship propelled by mechanical means other than steam, and he therefore begged to move the Amendment standing in his name, which would cover that point.

Amendment moved— In Clause 16 (1), line 30, after the words 'engine stores if owned by the assured,' to insert the words 'and in the case of a ship propelled by mechanical means other than steam includes also the machinery, fuel, fuel-tanks, and engine stores if owned by the assured.'"—(Earl Russell.)

THE EARL OF HALSBUEY

I am afraid I cannot accept the Amendment. The noble and learned Lord is under a misapprehension. All that is done by the section to which he refers is that, in the case of steam vessels, certain known appliances are included in the assurance of the vessel. If there are vessels having other appliances, there is not the least difficulty in those persons who want to insure them inserting such a clause in the policy; but without knowing what the vessels are, their number and equipment, and what there is properly belonging to them when they are propelled by other means than steam, I should hesitate very much to put in the words proposed. For instance, in the case of electricity, for aught I know to the contrary it might include electric batteries and so forth. The section as it stands does not exclude anything. It merely says that a particular term in a policy of insurance—namely, a steam vessel—shall include so and so.

LORD MONTAGU OF BEAULIEU

said that at the present moment a very large number of ships were being fitted in this country and in Germany by what was called gas suction plant, which operated without any steam at all. It would surely be advisable, in passing a Bill of this importance, to make provision for this new kind of locomotion, which, he ventured to think, would in a few years become extremely popular. He would like to be assured that ships propelled by this means would not be excluded.

THE EARL OF HALSBURY

Let me read the initial words of the clause— Subject to any express provision or valuation in the policy, the insurable value of the subject-matter insured must be ascertained as follows. Then follows a particular form of ascertaining the value, including certain particulars where it is a steam vessel; but nothing is excluded. You can put anything you like in your policy. I hesitate to use any general words about some particular class of vessels of which I know nothing.

EARL RUSSELL

said he was perfectly willing to accept the assurance of the noble and learned Lord that the case to which he had called attention was covered by the Bill, and he withdrew his Amendment.

Amendment, by leave of the House, withdrawn.

Clause 16 agreed to.

Remaining clauses agreed to, and Bill reported, without Amendment, to the House.

THE EARL OF HALSBURY

This Bill has already passed your Lordships' House and been very carefully considered. It seems to me that it would be giving unnecessary trouble to noble Lords to bring them here for the Standing Committee, and therefore I propose, if your Lordships think right, to negative the Standing Committee.

Moved, "That the Standing Committee be negatived."—(The Earl of Halsbury.)

On Question, Motion agreed to. Bill to be read 3a on Thursday next.