LIFE SAVING AT SEA.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1468, 17 June 1912, Page 4

LIFE SAVING AT SEA.

INTERNATIONAL CONFBB-BNCB -sphoposbd. -. ■?- ;>■ v" ■■■

■.'■i'As-o?sequel•!» tlie Titanic disaster and I the'- , heavy,, loss of life, by which it was Recompan"ied,-,it is hoped that an'■inter-national-conference .will shortly be conexhaustively with the question of'marine life-saving appliances. The , !;Hori;ip..;Laure'nson (Minister for Marino) : told ; S. reporter last evening , that , Mr. J. sHavelock-.,.Wi ! -Son...(secretary. of the National; Seamen's and Firemen's Union of Great Britain).-just before departing for ', England,' informed, him' (tho, Minister) that he intended, as soon as he ffofc Homo ;to urge"-,the Imperial authorities to coni'veho ,'aitiintcrnational conference to reydow: tho" position regarding•■ life-saving at "sen'aJncl devise improvement if possible. ~;■ MrV/Laiirenson considers that tho con-ference-will iu all likolihood be convened, ■ as.Jfr.v.iWilsonvwjll-be backed in his request'by, tho members of tho powerful .'organisation which , he represents.- More"ovcr.'tpi'pposals.'of a similar, nature have 'been'made, in other influential quarters. .The- Minister- hopes;* that the eonforenco ,v.'jll;be attended by representatives of the 'oversea dominions anrl of foreign maritime '; Powers; 1 as., well as ..by... Hrititih delegates,. ..The ..work'.fiof. sucli a'- conference, Mr.' , ; Lauren.son remarked, would be not only to rieal.withjthe,question of providing eiifflcient hoataecoinniodation, out to conduct .inquiries''-wjth'- , ft, view--to promoting increased..efficiency;, in. , life-saving, l)y the . adoptiop'sof■. better, appliances ■ than' those. 'which;;at..present so often failed- when a disaster took plaoc. ■"'-"■.-.-.'. ■■■- ,'■"■■'■''■,*:": '"': '■S : The : :Marine. Department, is;etijl',pursuing-,, its ..investigation into tho ■ provision made aboard ships trading 'iri:-Kcw:Zealand waters.." : Mr; Laurenson stated.; that >the Government aimed at ensuring.;* that? every, vessel coming within ;tho; scope- qf,!.tiie.r New. Zealand.,--'shipping :;-kiw«;'.shall;,carry- enough boats and rafts ■ to.accommodate-.the maximnm number ei rpersonsJ.whichj.Vtho - vessel. was'- permitted ;itp,eai'ry';-> ; lt had been found, ha said, that :'each :'oi ■ tho ■ Huddart-Parker. , Company's steamers , ' , carried , boats ,, and , rafts enough '..to; convey- : 50? persons : in ■'excess of tlio '(Steamer's. , ' maximum complement," As the Miaister' bos., previously, stated, the ehips pf'i-tho..'Union', Company,-also carry- an ..'arispla , ;. pTOvifiionfof-;lKiat.s aiid rafts.... The passengor.ißteamers , of tho' : Dominion, Mr. ;Laure'nso'n ,, f.fo'marked,' i wctc so fully equip.pedi.mSevery'j.way.that a roarino-'disnstor ioii!ja;;seal(!*,proportionate to tho' Titanic ; 'd!sasf.er;: , . , couUl,'uot--wcll occur on tho New Department .inquiry;; extend: to small'.tracing ves-isejs'.M;;,jrell:.,as;.to.-passenstt,. steamere. ■'■' - ■-.