RECENT WRECKS.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXIII, Issue 1841, 23 August 1906, Page 3

RECENT WRECKS.

EQUIPMENT AND DECK CARGOES

Christchurch, yesterday,

Too Lyttelton Times thinks that the musical enquiry touching the loss of the koich S r Henry, tbo echooner Aotea, and the ecow Hseremsi has so far simply strengthened the ease for a thorough revision of the regulations under which the ooaatal craft of the colony are allowed to put to sea. It fears that there is a danger of this enquiry reaching only a futile conclusion, and expresses a hope that in the interests of seafaiing the Seamen’s Union or some other competent authority, even the Minister of Marine himsfl ; , should take prompt Bteps to have one or two points elucidated before the hoaring of the evidence is corp'uded. There is the matter of dock cargoes to ommence with, The carriago of dtck oargoes is already governed by regulations affecting overy variety of vessels trading to and in New Zraland, and these regulations, issurd by the Minister under statute, have all the force of the law of the land. Following on the statements already made in ovidenos, it is essential cow th-»t tho Court should ascertain exactly lo what extent these regulations for ibe o ur,ago of deckoargces have bren observed, with regard not only to the vessels lately lost on the coast, but a’sa to the Auckland vessels. It should not be a diGQcu t matter to obtain a statement on the point from tho Colleotor of Customs at Auckland, upon whose authority, presumably, deck oargo licenses are issued. It seems that a rule requiring ordinary oa-go manifeets to bo lodged with the Harbor Board is "almost a dead letter,” but wo are anxious to bo assured that a similar laxity has not prevailed id regard to the supervision of deck cargoes. There is every reason why the Collector of Customs should be asked to furnish particulars of all the drek oargo licenses issued during the pa it six months, and evidenoe should be submitted ai to whether lioc-nses were i-sued in every case in which a deck oargo wts cair ed. This is tbo vital point of tbo whole enquiry. Alo her question of equal importance has been raised in the evidence of the Marino Superintendent for North Auckland. Only eleven ships out of over two hundred bavo so far been examined as to their equipment, and it appears that the superintendent's commis sion has beon running for nearly two months. It should be within the province of tho Court to inquire whether there was any inspection at all until two mom hs ago, and how far effect has been given to tbe excellent law of 1903 and the copious regulations iasued under the Aot. The disasters of tbe present winter have compelled tbe attention o! tho public, and the dangerous life of t ! c hardy eoimea who trade in big and little craft arouod onr rocky and wind-beaten coa s ts is receiving at last tho advertisement it so long required, but tb9 opportun-ty for tho betterment of tho sailor’s lot should on no account be allowed to pass. Wellington, yesterday. The New Zealand Times says : " The O-iUct of Inquiry now sitting at Auckland in connection with the reoent loss of the Aotea, Sir Henry, and Haercmai will be aoting wisely if it obtains o return showing the number of deck load licenses and permits issued by the Customs at tbe pott or Auck'aod during the past six or twelve months. The Court will probably find that the regulations in regard to deck cargoes have been allowed to become dead | letters. Tho return, if obtained, may show that more assistance is requirod by the I people who are supposed to attend to this