SHIPPING LAWS OF THE DOMINION.

Press, Volume LXV, Issue 13336, 30 January 1909, Page 10

SHIPPING LAWS OF THE DOMINION.

| FOREIGN COMPETITION. With regard to the telegram from Auckland dealing with tho shipping laws of the Dominion, published in yesterday's issue, a representative of "Tlio Press" had an interview with Captain H. Munro, of 'Messrs A. H. Turnbull and Co., of this city, in tho course of which Captain Munro pointed out tho direction in which he thoijght that amendment of the law was necessary. "Tho point is this," Captain Munro said, "that wo do not fear competition with Australian-owned vessels; our strongest objection is that foreigners are allowed to come here and sail their vessels just as they please j they pay small wages, carry very few hands as compared with the number we are compelled to carry by the manning scale; their dietary scale is very much inferior to ours and thoy havo no loadline restrictions, and,'consequently, load tlioir ships as deep as they like. As a matter oi fact tho whole of tho guano trade to Now Zealand is being done by foreign bot-toms, simply because New Zealand shipowners have to conform to so many regulations as well as to manning and oietary scales, and must also conform to the loading restrictions. In view of thoM? regulations it is impossible for us to compote against the foreigners. We find no fault, with tlie manning scale or the dietary seal©; but wo certainly rosont a state of affairs under which foreigners can come and compote against us with a free hand. Almost every other industry in the Dominion is protected in some measure by the Customs tariff; but the .Now Zealand shipowner is not protected in any way ; foreigners can come 'and do as they thiiuk proper. I maintain that something should bo done, co that the Now Zealand shipowner could compete against tho foreigner on an equal tooting. 'Jhat could oe done, 1 think, by charging foredgn-ownod vessels &s per ton iignt dues, and by exempting Now Zealand-owned vessels from all light dues and liarbour charges in Now Zealand. In all trades ashore tho proportion of boys to men employed is regulated, wnereas, by the manning scale, we must carry tne boys whether we want .thorn or not, and "on vessels engaged in some trades boys are absolutely useless." Captain -Munro gave some details regarding tho decrease in the number of New Zealand vessels engaged in overseas trade. At the Bluff, he pointed out, there was oidy one New Zea-land-owned vessel of the class mentioned, tho Ganymede; a few years ago there were several. At Dunedin there is not one vessel of the class mentioned owned in that city. At Lyttelton, whero there used to be a fleet of such vessels, there are now only two—the Bona and tho Bankfiolds. There is only one vessel, the Helen Denny, owned in Wellington. There used_ to be several vessels owned m Napier; at present there are none. The bidk of _ New Zealandi owned vessels engaged in overseas trade belong to Auckland. Ho further pointed out that boys were being trained for the eea on tho Government , training ship Amokura; but, he asked, what wasto.be-. com© of these boys if New Zealand owned sailing ships were chased out of. the trado? He took it that boys did not require to be trained for work on steamships.

"We have always looked upon the Hon. (Mr Millar as a fair-minded man," continued Captain Munro, "but his threat that if New Zealand ship-owners endeavour to evade tho New Zealand shipping laws by transferring to the Australian register, legislation would have to be passed to make it unremunerative for them to do so, shows what we can oxpect from him. I think that the Minister should take up the matter and see if he can amend the wrongthat New Zealand shipowners are suffering under. jSuirely something could bo done to assist' us instead ot forcing ua to evade the law."

The number of officers thnt small coasting vessels have to carry was, Captain Munro declared, 'preposterous. Steamers like the Ripple and the Storm, when trading out of London did not, .he said, hava a_ certificated man aboard themj in New Zealand they had to carry five certificated officers —the captain, two officers, and two engineers. As to Nor? Zealand sl_.nowners registering their vessels at Sydney, he saidf that he failed to see what was to be gained by doing so. Vessels registered ait Sydney, when they came to Lyttelton, were made to comply with tho New Zealand manning scale and coniform to .the Now Zealand regulations as to the fitting of lifeboats. At present there were about six foreign-owned sailing vessels and one steamer, engaged in the trade between New Zealand and Australia: but the New Zealand shipowner couid not run against- their rates; the-New Zealand vessels had to go across in ballast—the owners found it bettor to do so than accept the rates offered. Unless they got a remunerative rate it was found better to send the vessels over in ballast, as the time the vessel would be delayed in taking in and discharging tho cargo from New Zealand was unoeritain. Captain Munro did not consider that the Government coiqpulsory survey of vessels was right where they held Lloyd's classification. Both the Rona and the Bankfiehls were registered at Lloyd's, and consequently it meant that double survey fees had to. be paid in respect to them. On one occasion the Rona was de_xyed an Dun- i edin a fortnight waiting on tho dry dock, simply because the Department would not let her go to sea, notwithstanding thai the held tho highest class in Lloyd's. Tho fees for tho Government survey of this vessel wero £8 10s, whilst Lloyd's fees amounted to £2 2s. The Government did not demand a. higher standard as compared with that demanded by Lloyd's, in fact the Government standard and Lloyd's were almost equal. (PUESS ASSOCIATION* TELEGRAM.) DUNEDIN, January 29. Air W. Belcher, secretary of thc Seamen's Union, interviewed by a "Times" reporter regarding tlie New Zealand Shipping Laws, andl Mr Craig's complaints at Auckland l , said it was a most remarkable thing that J. and J. Craig had gathered together a fleet of sailing vessels since the Shipping and Seamen Act of 1903 came into operation-, acquiring all these vessels, knowing tlio harassing restrictions of the law. Tlie manning scalo in New Zealand was adopted, only after"" closo and searching enquiry, but it was not yet as liberal as it should bo in regard to the lives aud property at stake. Mr Belcher also cited tho profits mads I>3* ship owners to show there was no room for complaint. Tho changing cf the register of ship? to Australia would afford no relief, as the Australian Navigation Bill would sooner or later bocome law. As to tho injustice of returning a man to his port of shipment, it had been, unfortunately, the cose that men joining ships in "the Dominiori"- had been emptied out at other ports whero labour was cheaper. In regard to the noh-recognition of Lloyds certificate of survey, tho shipping conference in London had unanimously resolved that nothing Isss than the Board of Trade certificate would bo accepted. It was gross exaggeration to say that a ship owner w_s liable, in a double sen??, os to a worker's compensation, ns this was not yet law in Australia. As to recent "awards harassing sailing ship owners, that w.'is «"picc„ of imagination, as no sailing ship owner had yet been cittd before the Arbitration Court.