(Copy) . 3641.
10
Hongkong, 28th December,
1914.
Dear Sir,
I am taking the liberty of writing to you with reference to two cases which have recently passed through my hands in the working of the Workmen's Compensation Act 1906 with reference to the refusal to grant compensation to the Dependeants of deceased seamen whose domicile is not in Great Britain. In one case the Steamship Bridgeport owned by the Bridgeport Steamship Co., Ltd. of No. 4 Lloyde Avenue, London was lost in November 1913 having on board twelve Chinese British subjects of this Colony who left Dependents legally entitled to compensation on the authority of the above Statute. In the other case eight Chinese British subjects, were lost on board the S.S. Foxley off the Straits of Magellan on the 18th March 1912. The S.S. Foxley was owned by the Reliance Shipping Co. of 8 and 9
Great St. Helene St. London.
All the Dependents of the twenty deceased seamen have given formal notice as required by the Statute but no proceedings have yet been taken for the reasons hereafter given.
In July last the Shipping Federation of London
who had taken up the matter on behalf of the Owners of the
vessels informed the London Solicitors Agents for the
Solicitor of the Dependants here that provided they were satisfied by reliable evidence as to the identity of the
deceased'e Dependants the owners would not raise any
technical objection to the claiments not being in England to support their claims.
Accordingly