SHIPPING AND SEAMEN.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 650, 29 October 1909, Page 5

SHIPPING AND SEAMEN.

:. MR, MILLAR'S, NEW BILL. The Shipping and Seamen Act Amendment Bill, -which has,been introduced by the Minister for Marine (the Hon, J. A.' Millar), was circulated in the House of Representatives last night. It contains a large number of amendments, a great. many of which aTe of a machinery .nature. : Provision is made for a fine of .£SO for any person who permits himself to bo engaged, or who acts :as ah otiicer of a'sliip or steamer without being duly certificated. . Power is'given to the Minister to exempt any steamer plying exclusively oh any lake or within.river, or extended river limits, from the obligation of carrying a certificated master or engineer. . Certificates granted out of New Zealand may be recognised by . tho Minister,, provided that ho is satisfied as to the qualifications of their holders.' .No person shall engage a seaman or apprentice to serve on any ship unless such person be, the owner, master, mate, or-engineer of the ship, or .is a superintendent. Any seaman engaged in New Zealand ,to prve:on' ahy British ship.must'have ,a,knowledge of the English language sufficient to enablo him to . understand the orders given' to hi min tho performance of ' his duties. . • The period of service before .the mast 'required as, a qualification for the rating of A.B. is 'from four.to three ; year's..',.-.Sea-going, or, extended river fishing-boats under, ono .hundred tons register, shall not "be subject to tho provisions in regard to manning;. ■ Every snch boat when. going to,, sea shall have a certificated officer,- and in' the case of• a steamship or. a boat propelled by other mechanical power, with an engineer holding a certificate of not less than second-class grade. Provision, is- mado for certificated cooks for foreign-going. ships. ' .... The j owner, and master of evtry ship is re-quired-to provide such sanitary and hospital accommodation, including bathrooms, as,- in the opinion of the Minister, is sufiiciont for the requirements, of the . crew, and, in the case ot steamships, that provision shall include an adequate supply of hot water' for the use ol all men. employed in connection with the engines. This provision does not applv to .ships of less . than . three hundred tons register. The ownei? of' a ship is required SiJ. y J th ?„ oxpen6es <! f treatment for accidMte, sustained whilst in the service of the ship. ' • . . + n ?+?' 9llip '' s i a fishing-boat.of -not more than ton tons register she shall not be subject to the provisions .of-this Act-relating to survey and to carrying certificated.officers).and if a ship is a pleasure yacht of not more, than ten tons regisj.i. -' V°,- subject to the provisions of this Act relating to survey. Where the limits for; restricted-limit steam.S'Pfr.W -ooen» or are .hereafter, reduced by the-Minister in exercise of the powers conferred, upon him by Section 189. of tho principal Act, any person, ivho,lias served as master of a steamship in extended river-limits prior to their reduction may bo examined for' a certificate of competency' as home-trade .piastcr^ith- 1 ™KP e >ng:. required'tß!Serve''as'.'ffia:t6,whiist''inposse6sion of; a home-trade, mate's,certificate, provided, he presents himself for examination. within_ six months from the date of the reduc-' hon of the limits, or,within six months of thedate of tho coming into operation of .this Act ; •!™™ever may be the last-to .'happen!.' , ' the holder of a certificate as master or engineer, of-a:-river steamer, :who has ,beon- master 1 or engineer of a-steamer plying within • ex-' tendetV river limits before their reduction,, shall' be entitled tq' serve as master or engineer, as tho : caso may bo, of a steamer .trading within «duct To n? he .3 xto ? d ? d . ri V er Hmits before the

" All ships employed/in; river and. ! extendedriver limits rarrying cargoes of sand,' shingle, gravel, cement, or other dead-weight cargo, and all home-trade ships' under twenty tons register carrying cargoes '.such 1 material, shall be marked with a load-lino' thouppcr 'edge of which shall not be submerged when the'shin is in salt . -< ■ . ' v.. The Governor, by Order-in-Council, may tl quire ships carrying passengers to be provided with wireless telegraphy apparatus. Plans and specifications of all .vessels of over 15 tons shall be approved by the Minister before the .building is. commenced. Provision is_ made for the inspection of wool, flax, tow, and; skins before shipment • Owners of missing, ships' registered in New Zealand are required to make reasonable search cecdiSg iloT Unaer pain of a P enillt y not exIn the case of accidents, British, or foreign ships may be detained until provision is made lor meeting a claim to compensation. If the owner-of a_ship is a corporation it shall for tho purposes of the section-be. deemed to reside in T*ew Zealand/if it has an office in New Zealand at which service 'of writs : can ■■ bo effected,