§ Sir B. FALLEasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he can give any information as to the recent loss of money from the Legation at Durazzo; the amount of the loss and how it arose; if this country will bear the loss; and, if not, how the loss is to be made good?
Mr. A. HENDERSONThe loss referred to was occasioned by defalcations by the clerk in His Majesty's Legation at Durazzo some two years ago. Of the total loss of £1,143 9s. 5d. the Minister and a Charge d'Affaires, who were responsible for the supervision of the Legation accounts, were called on to refund approximately one-half, and it was possible still further to reduce the loss by £63 18s. 11d., being the amount realised by the sale of the clerk's effects at Durazzo. The balance of £504 10s. 6d. was charged as a loss irrecoverable in the Appropriation Account for Diplomatic and Consular Services for 1928.