LIFE-BELTS ON STEAMERS.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 495, 30 April 1909, Page 4

LIFE-BELTS ON STEAMERS.

' , TRADES COUNCIL STILL UNEASY. .'': : COMESPO3raENCE~\VITH THE COV--1 ;■' ■'.; • ■ V ERNMENT. , Tho Wellington Trades Council is ' not jot satisfied : with the condition of the life-saving appliances on the coastal steamers 'and with the inspection carried out by the Govern-' mont.- ; : The matter came up ,at - last night's meeting of:the council. ■■ ; , '~;; .The Secretary for, Marine (Mr.~: -G.;'" AUpprt),, writing in reply to tho council's former lotter, stated that the Minister for Marino had directed him to say that in addition to 'the inspection'of life-saving appliances at the annual surveys, surprise visits were made by the surveyor at various .times during the year. In the case of this.port, one of tho surveyors time .was to a great extent .taken, up in attending, to these duties, and proviotiß to tho Christmas holidays ho inspected and stamped 700. lifobelts at tho Union Com-' pany's repairing yard. All these belts wero tostod in fresh water with 151b. weight attached.. This was done for thto purpose of having sparo belts passed by. the inspector ready for the'excursion season. The inspection of life-saving appliances was carried out 'thoroughly at the .various ports, with duo regard to the regulations. It would therefore be seen that proper.efforts:aro taken to seo that the life-saving appliances are such as woro required by law, and were in an offi■oioht condition. ..--.::.. ;'■■■•: ■ Mr. Dowdall'.said, tho officers' of the Seamen's Union or other accredited persons, should be permitted: to, go on Ixwrd any ship ;in a harbour and examine the appliances. Ho moved: "That this council regrets tho tone of the letter from the Secretary for Marine, and, points out to him that what tho council waptcd was an immediato examination of ''.tits,' life-saving appliances in use, and not thoSo lying in'store." ■: Mr. Parlane said;;tho letter was. satisfactory if tho statements in it woro correct, aiid if thoy were noHfurthcr action should bo takou. by the'council. , Mri; W. T. Young, secretary of the Seamon's Union, said that so f\r as ho: know the inspectors did not makosurpriso visits to inspect the life-saving appliances on ships. They had no time to' do so, as the routine work and tho annual survoy occupied them pretty fully,"arid they also had to act as assistant, shipping masters. Ho behoved the surveyor in Wellington did hiii duty as far as was possible in the time ho : had, but the l Marine Department Was under-manned. Tho ' Marino Superintendent was day after day unablo to got away from his office ] Tho motion was carried. . ■ ■'~, ~-j