NAVIGATION COMMISSION

Gisborne Times, Volume XXI, Issue 1703, 20 March 1906, Page 3

NAVIGATION COMMISSION

IMPORTANT RECOMMENDATIONS,

PREFERENCE TO BRITISH SHIPOWNERS AND PRODUCERS. SEAMAN REFORMS.

By 'telegraph, Press Ass’n, Copyright Received 5 p.m , Moroh 19. Sydnoy, Maroh 19. The Navigation Commission report reoommonds profrronco to British shipowners and produoors conditionally on tho ships being maunod by a subslantial proportion of British oitizens, or carry cargoes whereof a substantial proportion is of British manufaotnro or origin. As the matter affeots tbo whole Empire it suggests tbat the question should reooivo I consideration at tho next Imperial Shipping Conference, together with the desirability of uniform legislation extending to seamen’s advantages. Tho various Workmen’s Compensation Aots Commission finds that as British seamen are fast disappearing, it reoommonds as a .remedy numerous drastio measures of reforms, with a view of rondoriog the conditions more attractive. These include 120.oubio feet of air spaoo per man ; hotter ventilation and lighting; hot and oold bath rooms in steamships for all hands; improved food ; certificated oooks ; seamen to bo entitled to receive two-thirds of their wages earned at any port wboro the ves- ' sals call; abolition of advanoo and allotment notes, exoept where made in favor of relations; abolition of imprisonment for desertion. Manning soales for vessels, aooordiog io tonnage, are provided for officers, engineers, seamen, and firemen. Compulsory insuranoa for seamon ; on their recommendations all pilots, except possibly in the Torres Straits, who become public servants, to bo liable to the exlont of £IOO for accidents due to their fault. It urges the Commonwea'th to take over quarantine, lighthouses, eto. ; ooastal trade to be roservod for ships of Australian register, or ships licensed as oonformiDg to Australian conditions, mail steamers between Adelaide and Fremantle to be exempted from this provision; total prohibition from the ooastal trade of foreign subsidised ships ; the establishment of an Australian royal naval reserve on similar lines to that adopted by the British Admiralty and Board of Trade, modified to moat the local [ conditions; provision for nautical scholarships at various ports; that it be made illegal to give rebates on freights when suoh rebate is conditional on exclusive shipping with certain vessels; a doctor must be carried with vessels carrying 100 passengers or over where a voyage exceeds five days; and more stringent inspection in surveying vessels. The minority report depreoates the stringent rcoommend'atious' concerning ooastal trade, and believes it is outride the province of tho Commission to tonoh the question of preferential treatment of British skippers and produce.