§ Mr. DOUGLAS HALLasked the President of the Board of Trade whether, having regard to the action of the owners 1956W of the steamship "Titanic" having repudiated liability to make compensation to the representatives of steerage passengers who lost their lives when that ship foundered, he will take the advice of the Law Officers of the Crown as to whether the owners of this ship and other shipowners can legally escape the liability referred to and avoid complying with clause 7 of the Board of Trade Regulations governing the issue of steerage passenger tickets, by printing a clause on the back thereof exempting them from any liability to passengers for loss in place of on the face thereof, which latter course they are prohibited from doing by the above-mentioned clause; and, if the Law Officers of the Crown advise that shipowners can thus escape their liability, whether he is prepared to revise clause 7 by deleting there-from the words on the face thereof?
Mr. BUXTONAs I informed the hon. Member on 15th May, the clauses printed by shipowners on the back of the contract, ticket do not form a part of the statutory form of contract ticket, and the question whether these clauses are valid is one which; can only be decided by a Court of Law. If and when such a decision is given, I will consider whether any action on the part of the Board of Trade is necessary.