COLLISIONS AT SF.A.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1515, 10 August 1912, Page 4

COLLISIONS AT SF.A.

1 NEW LAW PROPOSED. An amendment of the Shipping anfr Seamen.. Act lias been introduced by' th< ; Hon. 1?. 11. 13. Fisher (Minister for Murine), to bring the Mow Zealand law into conformity with the English legislation. H conlornis with tho Imperial Maritime Conventions Act, which deals with matters 'relating to an'l salvage. The principal provision in respect to collisions is that where, by the jaiilt of two or more ships; damage or loss is caused to one or more of ,thcin, of to any property on board, the liability for compensation shall bo in proportion to tho degree in which each ship wae in fault. In any cases in which it, is not possible to establish different degrees of fault, tine liability shall be apportioned equally. Where loss of life or personal injuries are suffered, the liability of tho off the ship shall bo joint and several. Tho principal Act requires tho master of each vessel concerned in a collision to stand by and assist tho other, and states that 11 ho fails to do so ho commite a crime, "and tho collision shall, in tho absence of proof to tho contrary, be deemed to have been caused bv his wrongful act, neglect, or default. ,. It is proposed to amend theeo provisions by omitting the words quoted, and there is a now provision that failure to comply with tho provisions of Section 193 shall not raise any presumption in. lnw that the collision was caused by any fault of tho person in chargo of the ship. The Bill proposes that tho master or person in chargo of a ship shall, if ho can do so without incurring serious clangor, rendor assistance to every person, even if tho latter is n subject of a foreign State at war with Ins Majesty, who is found at sea in danger of being lost, and failure to do so is a crime. Compliance witli this provision will not affect rights to Baivagc Section; 91 of the Judicature Act, 1908 (relating to collisions between ships), is to be repealed. Some general amendments ot tho principal Act »to proposed. One is that a Home trading sailing ship, running nioro than 300 miles between terminal ports, may be permitted by the Secretary of Marine to leave without a second mate if compliance with the usual requirements would unduly delay the ship. For the safety of tho public, the master of every intercolonial or Home trade ship shall cause his crew to be properly exercised in boat drill, (it such time and m such manner ae uiay be prescribed by regulations made by the Governor-in-Council. A record is to bo kept m the official log of all boat drill. The penalty for non-compliance with the regulation* is increased to not ciceedmg XM.