MARINE ENGINEERS

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1554, 25 September 1912, Page 10

MARINE ENGINEERS

SOME DEFECTS IN THE LAW. DBPUTATIOX TO MIXISTEIi. The Minister tor Marine (the Hon. J'. M. Ii Fisher) received a deputation yesterday inorniiift front (he Marino Engineers''institute. Tho views of the institute on the subjects discussed were put forward before the late Minister for Marine at some length, and the deputation vestenlav simply redirected the new Minister's altentinn to the sanio matters. Concerning the agitation for tho simplification of engine-drivers' certificates the instituto had no objection to the examinations being simplified if the powers of engine-drivers to take, charge of machinery were curtailed. It was urged also that river engineers ought not tu bo allowed to sit for second-class manno certificates. On ibis point Mr. Laureuson had assured them that nothing of the kind would be considered by the Department. The deputation asked that examinations for marine engineers' certificates should be held more frequently, to avoid delav and expense to candidates. The Minister said that the Department proposed to hold examinations every two months. ..,'., , t This scarcelv salished the members nl tho deputation who urged that it should be possible to hold examinations every week, as was the rule in tho case of tho navigating officers. , . It was stated that a defect existed in the New Zealand law relating to the serving of five years' lime by engineer apprentice". Bovs were allowed to count two vears' time at a technical school, and three years iu a shop, but thero was nothing'to prevent these two terms being taken concurrently.' This was obviously not the intention of the Act. The Board of Trade particularly specified that the classes to be counted should bo day classes, and that tho applictmr must be over 15 years of age. These suicguards were not in the jNcw Zealand Act. ~ Mr. Fisher said the Department would be willing to provide ■ for the taking of the three years nnd two years' courses separately, which was the original intention of the Act. .'„,.'. They asked also that the Shipping Act 1)6 more stringently administered in regard to some of the smaller ships trading out of Napier which did not touch aAVellington. It was stated that in some of, these ships officers and engineers had to eat nnd sleep in the same place, and under the Act an engineer on watch should have a berth to himself. Instances were not unknown of ships, having left Tokomam or Gisborne with the hatches olf and wool piled on- deck, and there were occasionally fairly heavy seas to countered on that coast. On the Minister V suggestion the deputation promised to advise the Department, of the names of vessels on which the Act was not observed. . .' . The Minister promised in his reply to have all proper inquiries made into the matters referred to by tho deputation.