THE HOUSE.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 679, 2 December 1909, Page 5

THE HOUSE.

'shipping-, and seamen bill,

";.;" CONSIDERED: IN COIIdMITTEE. : : w .::Eormat'.'business; "and. a'discussion on.'"the water-power"-' regulations "'lmported , in another' cbiuinu);''occupied; the "House yesterday; afternoon;; -'. -r'-. •'•'.;.,.'•.'-'■•: '■-'■' - ;:■■'■-..■'.''; Ihthe evening.the debate in Committee:on. the Shipping;and Senhien.Bill wad resumed... :A : discussion took plaoe,on Section 39,-which' . states- 'that-Seotion 300. of the . principal Aet. shall-apply'to .all bills, of lading andshipping documents' in-'respect: of' property to "be : car-' ried to or fr'om.any' port'in New. Zealand;' whether"the ;ship'is- a British or- foreign. Iship, . and' "whether. the.':'contract, of carriage is' made in New Zenland : or'elsewhere." - ' ■".- ;' ' . . Mr.. HEEKIES (Tauranga) thought that it would'be very, difficult to carry out this clause.; A-' bill,-'off lading "might" pass; through several"; hands. ■'';... Av ■"". '■•■.■'■ '/-''- "-''■.- '■'■•'■■" ■ .'"'•'.■ ■; - : Mr. 'HEEDMAN (Wellington North), asked if:! it.' was -,fair', to. include' a" provision, 'which wou'ldvaffect'contracts entered: into in: Great" Britain.'i' ;: .. ; . : ; ' :■' ""•'',':': "■;•'•'■:■;:•■'•"■ The Hon. J..A; MILLAE explained 'that under the: principal : Act"it" was .not 1 - clear what. :bills ■ of 'ladirig were -.referred to. He did ' not ■ know if the Imperial' authorities'• would agree .to' the 'clause, because"'he."did.,not-,know, how they bound by -international understandinM^:iT^'E^TATO)E"(Christohurch::'NbrtW It's .a.:try-on,"and.-I;seo,'ho harm in -passing it. \'Tlie ! claus^::was""agreedvtb.s;;,.%■; .•-;:"..';,/ Detention; < - v'v";'■;!;%';"'' '.After"Clause'?42,".-which' dealsvwith .the'd&.': tehtion 'of .6hips:in-(ascs"of "personal;accidents,a' sub-'clausb. was - added,', on '■ the'Ministor's "mo-' tioh,:;asffbllows;." 'Itl) this' section,'- '.the. term" 'owner' •incindes.'.a-.charterer'"to* whom" the ship^'-Has been "demised." ',' ... '::'•" In-Clarisfl 45 the Minister", proposed to "delete a subclause "till he "learned, if it. .was being, incorporated in'the Australian law;.'Tho' subclause was'"as follows:' "In assessing>.the horser'power, account shall 'be, taken of the-.-power of: : 'auxiliiry;- engines, which'-is;;.developed'.b'y stcam:takbn.'froni.the.main'boilers." ;.' ' .Mr.' LUICB (Wellington Suburbs) warmly, apv -proved'.'tho.deletion of .this provision, which waslagreed to.";, :":"• v , - - - -.'•■ '\-.:y:■■:■-. ; ' In' Clause 49 providing for the, submission to: tho Minister of Jilans of ships of over' 15: tons built,in 'Now ; Zoali)nd, Mr. Millar; moved -to strike out 15, with a view of inserting 25.' , '•Mr!"MASSEY thought tho limit 'should be still' further inbreased. The Auckland; shipi builders;■;who had been building up" the,lndus-' try, viewed the hew "proposal..with a.great deal of aniietyV'.."-.'-''-".:,. '..-,,.'. ■ ■'-'.■:'•.:" '': Mr. LUKE' said the had 'not sufficient' qualified' men .to pass the .plans', of -a : ■' ship.':::Therb i mjght,'perhaps,be"onenian,.(who

bame" : o'ut recently frdm';Home),' ; butif "befell iU. ; the;position .would be serious. The? Committee "agreed on the voices to insert;2s.;.:;; j "- -'■;.'. : ; .. -..-':.' .f Several .members -spoke against the clause, even as'amended, and Mr. Millar said he'wonld be prepared to! take, ii. on the voices. The'vpice's were 'apparently evenly -divided, and;a-division was taken, with the result that by 33-votes to 29 the clause was'retained. Spontaneous-Combustion. '-• Clause SO was amended to-provide that "other goods' liable ,to spontaneous combustion" (in addition to wool, flax, tow. and skins) ■ should be subject'to inspection. The clause was also amended so as to limit its operation to' "any foreign-going ;or intercolonial trading, ship. The fine for a breach of the regulations was altered from .£SO to Mr.. MILLAR said Id. to ljd. per balewoula cover the-cost of inspection, and this was a very cheap insurance. With regard to Clause 52, which refers to permits,to carry extra passengers on excursions, Mr. WRIGHT moved to add.a 1 provision that for every, additional fifty- passengers or fraction of fifty above the .maximum, an additional lifeboat, able to - carry . fifty < persons, should bo provided, with' two additional able seamen for. each such boat; .In the course-of the discussion, the Minister protested against persons taking complaints to the Trades and Labour Council, who could not have alterations made, instead of to the. Marine Department, who could. If complaints of bad lifeboats; were made to the Department,, anything amiss would quickly be put right. ■■■ The proposed new provision was rejected on the voices, ' ; ' .'. Examination, of Ships' Plans. ■ , . \. Sees for the examination of ships' plans, provided for by Clause 43, were proposed by the schedule to 'be calculated upon a minimum of .£3! for shipsup to'3oo tons register, but upon the Minister's motion the fee for vessels not exceeding 100 tons was fixed at £1 10s., and for-those over 100 tons.and not. exceeding .200 tons register, .£2. ..... ■.-,.-' ' Mr. '.MASSET "expressed strong "objections to the'whole of Clause 49, which'states'that'plans and specifications of ships built in New Zealand shall'.be submitted to the Minister, and that fees shall', be paid to the examiner of. the plans."; 'He believed that: the;. effect of this clause,would'be to harass the industry. Plans would bo. criticised: by an official, who knew much'less about the'matter than the builder. He objected• also to the proposal 'to inflict fines which .bad not been imposed before. In Great Britain.it was ,• simply, provided that a Vessel -held''not- to be seaworthy, was not 'allowed to go'to sea, ; Mr. Massey moved that a division •be taken on the schedule referring to.the clause. ."'., .'■...'. The-schedue was retained by 86 votes to 25. :,The;Minister, at'the instance of the Marine Engineers': Society, secured the insertion of an amendment'providihg that those who have been turning,,fitting machinery, or erecting machineryjin workshops for five years shallbe qualified' for a, third engineer's certificate. Survey of' Sailing Ships'. ; The .'MINISTER proposed a.'hew clause■ to the.effect that the provisions .of Sections , 171, to'.-185.0f the .principal Act, ■ which treat of the.survey> of'sailing ships, should apply to intercolonial.sa!iling.ships: trading or carrying passengers from "any -;port, in "New Zealand, to any'otter; port, arid! also to sailing ships over five- tons register-employed in the; home trade.' :;If - any "6uch sailing... ship' Had been docked: outside ' New Zealand, and: an official certificate,showed that.'the hull was'in.'gobd condition,, it.might dispense■ with further inspection.,. . ... ,""■; ~' '.-.:".•"'■'.-'■' clause was agreed.to.' ■'; .'-. •;'A provision was added to the; second schedule that on the-termination of. a service by reason nf. the ship being * laid •up by the -owner,. any seaman should. bo. entitled to a free; passage ] back" to'the; port where the agreement.was originally.'signed' if he .'so desired. , A provision was also added-that where a formal investigation" .related "solely to-matters connected' with the; engineer's. of aehip,; on' with the 'engineroom, there should be two'assessors, each of whojh;. sh<)ujd: be; the holder of, an engineer's .-;." ' ■'■ ~ Owners!. Risks. Mr;' M'LAREN (Wellington East) proposed an'amendment-.to Clause 293, of the principal Act, .which : states'that where . due care has been bsercised, ship-owners'; shall .not be liable for losses caused, by faults'.or errors in navigation', dr'.manafcenient. The'amendment was tb, add the. words, "unless .such faults or errors are; due,: .to ..'negligence ■ or, 'want; of treasonable care being,exercised of the owners, charterers,' agents,-■ or i master, thereof." - The MINISTER said he .could not accept the-amendment. The Act laid down that "due diligehce" mnst, be. exercised.'.' . ..The'.amendment was negatived. , •-The'tßill ,'was; reported from Committee" at ,12:85,'a;mv; .'.•'.•'•..;.';'.!":! ■•■-'- •„• -.':.-:..■■■ ',::■■ ■''

DESIG NAT 10 N' OF. OISTRICTS Bl LL. ■ The Designation: of Districts Bill was then taken.in, Committee. .'.- /

~ "After a good deal of discussion .of an unim-,. portant. nature, '.' Mr.', MASSEY, at 1 a.m.", moved !to report progress.: ,He : said that the waste of. time'ithat was'goirig on was simply scandalous. As it was,it. ? was "absolutely: impossible : ; to. get through the;.important business.. Such Bills as the one.under discussion were riot worth half a crown; a" dozen..-.lf s the•"Prime Minister did not know it,' the people of.the country did. ..The:PRIME MINISTER'said that a number of.':lo'cal authorities had asked for the Bill. Surely-Mr.: Massey did not suggest that every Bill.discussed'this session should bi a great policy, measure?.: -.The motion was defeated by 30 to 18. .Itiwaa agreed, on the motion of the Hon. D. Buddo',-that the following words be added to Clause 2: "and in such alterations'and future riamings".preference "shall be given, to the/original; Maori" names." . .-..- •. :,. -'■-■■ '-.> .' ■ ■The':Bill .was then reported/as amended; ' ■ '.vAtt2o, a.m. tha-House adjourned. '••;..-- „ ■,