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8

MINUTES.

2. Eleventh (Final) Report.-A revised draft of this report was considered, and, subject to a few minor alterations, finally approved for submission to the Treasury.

next.

Mr. Jones mentioned that the Colonial Office had intimated to the Treasury that, on account of his services being required in another capacity, they were unable to consent to his acting as Secretary to the Committee beyond the 30th November In these circumstances it was decided that an advance copy of the report should be forwarded to the Treasury, without waiting for the completion of the appendices, to enable an early decision to be taken in regard to the future of the Committee, and that the signed copy, with the completed appendices, should follow when practicable.

3. Further volume of Minutes, etc.-It was agreed that, upon the completion of the above-mentioned report, steps should be taken for the issue of a further, and final, volume of the papers printed for the use of the Committee. The recommenda- tions of the 'Secretary concerning the arrangement and contents of the volume were approved.

4. Mr. Evans desired to place on the record of the proceedings of the Com- mittee a recognition of the skill and ability with which the duties of the Chairman had been conducted during the whole life of the Committee. He felt that a great debt was due to Admiral Sir E. Slade, for the businesslike and courteous way in which he had discharged the duties of his office.

5. Mr. Evans also wished to express, in the names of himself and the other members of the Committee, their gratitude to the Sub-Committee. consisting of Mr. Holt and Mr. Tennyson, for the able way in which they had lightened the work of the Committee during the last two years.

4386

II. APPENDICES

APPENDIX A.-REPORTS.

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TENTH INTERIM REPORT OF THE OVERSEA PRIZE DISPOSAL

COMMITTEE.

MAY IT PLEASE YOUR LORDSHIPS,

THE Committee beg leave to submit the following further report in reply to the Treasury letter of the 10th July, 1916, concerning various outstanding questions relating to expenditure in connexion with prize proceedings. Question (a) in that letter, on the subject of the payment of fees or other remuneration to officers of Prize Courts and other officers performing services in connexion with matters of prize, has been dealt with in the Committee's Sixth Interim Report, and they now propose to deal with the remaining questions set out in the letter. They have ventured in certain cases to go beyond the actual letter of the questions referred to them, and to add their observations upon certain other outstanding financial questions of a general nature affecting matters of prize.

2. The Committee regret the delay which has arisen in completing their reply to the letter under reference, and desire to explain that they felt unable to report effectively upon the matters left in abeyance pending an indication of the views of His Majesty's Government upon the paramount questions of policy connected with the destination of the proceeds of condemned prizes. These questions, so far as the Committee are aware, remain undecided, except in so far as they have been settled by the Naval Prize Act, 1918, but the Committee feel that it is now desirable that they should submit a report without further delay. To deal completely with the position as it stands at present the Committee would find it. necessary in some cases to submit alternative recommendations, but they have thought it most convenient on the whole to assume, as a definite basis for the purposes

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