151
by the Harbour Department staff to whom this duty was delegated by Naval Authorities in order that number of service personnel employed on actual combatant duties should be kept high as possible. Larger vessals were insured against war risk and present no difficulties but in other cases apparent inequity of disclaimer is bound to be urged by parties affected, except in cases of larger vessels there are no records showing which vecsele we YO sunk or which had their engines damaged,
5a
I have now postponed Legislative Council further until 12th May and it would assist me very greatly in dealing with questions which are still certain to be asked if it could be confirmed that service departments would accept liability in respect of claims of categories indicated in (a) to (a) of paragraph 3, if facts are satisfactorily established, and strictly on the understanding that degree of compensation paid would be subject to negotiations and possible acaling down. Some of these claims have been under consideration by the Admiralty for a lengthy period and in exasperatien local naval authorities have recently informed this Government that [dmiralty hava asked local area Ministry of Transport representative to investigate. Possibly it might be helpful to instruct this officer to examine all outstanding claims of this nature where there is a potential service ability.
66
In replying to questions in the Legislative Council I should be careful to avoid any reference to denial olalms as such. and would propose to take line that claims in respect of requisitioned (? Group Omited) in which there is a definite legal liability -ll be as thal Bo 238 as can be seen such a liability only extets in agreement of requisitioned vessels for damage or 308% of them during period requisitioned on Admiralty instructions. Negotiations are in progress with a view to settlement of claims by service departments concerneâ,
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1?
AZUMEL sign yaz tenenz Arenas Derby vid DNA PERY DEPARTMEDE ESTAJE Barangmatten ka darges
Crombie. Fitblado,
- MF. D.R. Serpell, 0.8.5.