– in the House of Commons at on 17 April 1929.
Mr George Garro-Jones
, Hackney South
asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he can state the outcome of the conversations with the United States of America Government on the sinking of the auxiliary ketch "I'm Alone"?
Mr Austen Chamberlain
, Birmingham West
No, Sir. This case is still forming the subject of correspondence between His Majesty's Government in Canada and the Government of the United States and I am not therefore in a position to make any further statement at present.
Mr Harry Day
, Southwark Central
Does the right hon. Gentleman think that he will be able to make a statement before the adjournment?
Mr Austen Chamberlain
, Birmingham West
I cannot say. The primary correspondence is between His Majesty's Government in Canada, where the ship was registered, and the Government of the United States. His Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom have supported the representations made by the Canadian Government. It obviously would be improper for me to make a statement on the subject while correspondence is still proceeding between Washington and Ottawa.
Commander Hon. Joseph Kenworthy
, Kingston upon Hull Central
Apart from the conversations, are His Majesty's Government in communication with His Majesty's Government in Canada with a view to some regulations being made to prevent these incidents at the source, such, for example, as preventing this abnormal trade from certain of the West Indian Islands?
Mr Austen Chamberlain
, Birmingham West
I must be permitted to maintain the position that it is not possible for me to make any further statement on the subject while communications between His Majesty's Government in Canada and the United States Government are still proceeding.
Secretary of State was originally the title given to the two officials who conducted the Royal Correspondence under Elizabeth I. Now it is the title held by some of the more important Government Ministers, for example the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs.
