§ Mr. MITCHESONasked the President of the Board of Trade if his attention has been drawn to the fact that it is not possible for magistrates to impose a penalty higher than £100 in the case of a foreign ship which has broken the Board of Trade regulations; and whether he will so amend the Merchant Shipping Act as to provide for higher penalties, or such other means as will prevent a repetition of the practice of making a profit out of the infringement of the Board of Trade regulations in respect of grain cargoes?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANThe maximum penalty under the Merchant Shipping Acts for failure to take the necessary precautions in loading any ship with a grain cargo is £300 or, if dealt with summarily, £100. I have no reason to think that a higher penalty would reduce the number of offences, and the action now being taken will, I think, in due course secure the observance of the law.