Mr. TINNEasked the President of the Board of Trade whether his attention has been drawn to recent casualties to grain ships from shifting cargoes; and what precautions are taken by the Board of Trade to keep up to date the Regulations for loading such ships?
§ Sir B. CHADWICKMy attention has been called to the casualties which have occurred to grain-laden ships during the past few months. Of 33 casualties reported, 28 were primarily due to causes not connected with the stowage of the cargo, and even where it is clear that a casualty was caused, or contributed to, by the shifting of the grain, it is necessary to consider whether the regulations were complied with before concluding that the regulations themselves are at fault. Further inquiries are being made on this point. The regulations, which are in many cases made by Boards of Underwriters and other bodies in the United States and in Canada, with the approval of the Board of Trade, are revised from time to time as occasion requires. The regulations of the New York Board of Underwriters were revised in April, 1925, and new rules were made for certain Canadian ports in March, 1924. The operation of the grain-loading regulations is very closely watched by the Board of Trade, and steps would at once be taken to secure an amendment of the regulations if there were reason to think this necessary.