§ Mr. MacVEAGHasked the Postmaster-General whether he has been informed that a registered parcel addressed to the Postmaster-General, London, containing four parcels of diamonds to the reputed value of £23,000, which was on board the steamship "Lusitania" at the time of her destruction was salved from the sea some days afterwards by a fisherman named John Hayes and his crew on 11th May, 1915, and delivered up by them to the Receiver of Wreck at Baltimore through the Coastguards at Castletownshend, county Cork, and forwarded to the General Post Office, London; whether such action on the part of the fishermen enabled the postal authorities to deliver the registered parcels to the respective addressees in London thus saving the carriers and the postal authorities a heavy loss in compensation to the owners; whether he is aware if any and, if so, what steps have been taken by his Department or the owners of the property salved to remunerate the salvors for their valuable services performed at great peril to themselves; whether, in the event of no such compensation having been as yet paid, he will take steps to see that a substantial ex partia grant is made to the salvors; and whether he will, in addition, direct that the Solicitor to the Post Office take up the matter with the consignees so that they may be required to contribute to the salvage award either voluntarily or by compulsion?
1788W
§ Mr. PEASEI am aware of the circumstances in connection with the subject of this question, but the hon. Member seems to have been misinformed in regard both to the value of the salved parcel and to the risk or peril involved to the salvors. The Solicitor to the Post Office wrote to the legal representatives of the salvors in February last, but no reply has been received to his communication. If, however, any further representation is made, my right hon. Friend will be glad to give it further consideration.