§ Mr. PETOasked the President of the Board of Trade whether his attention has been called to the inquiry into the case of the steamship "Apollo," with Captain J. N. Shearlaw, master, recently held in Glasgow, in which the master and officers were exonerated from blame at the Board of Trade inquiry, but nevertheless were required to pay the costs of the defence; whether there is any provision in the 1529W Board of Trade rules as to the costs in such inquiries being borne by the Board of Trade in such cases; and whether he will instruct the solicitors to the Board of Trade in such cases not to oppose applications for costs on the part of masters and officers who are so exonerated from blame, as the result of the inquiry, in future?
Mr. ROBERTSONI have not yet received the Official Report of this Inquiry, but I understand that the master and officers were not found in default. An application made to the Court by the master's representative for the payment of his costs was opposed by the solicitor representing the Board of Trade, and the Court declined to make any order. Under the Rules made by the Lord Chancellor under Section 479 of the Merchant Shipping Act, 1894, the Court may order the costs and expenses of the investigation, or any part thereof, to be paid by the Board of Trade or by any other party. It has not been the practice of the Board of Trade to agree to bear the costs incurred by parties to such inquiries, and as at present advised I am not prepared to alter the practice in the manner indicated.