AMENDED SHIPPING REGULATIONS.

Globe, Volume XXIII, Issue 2297, 13 August 1881, Page 3

AMENDED SHIPPING REGULATIONS.

OSESS ASSOCIATION THLEOKAM.] WELLINGTON, August 12. The following is tha report of the Select Committee on shipping legislation, which was read in tho House to-day :—The shipping legislation committee, appointed to inquire what amendments, if any, should ba introduced into our shipping legislation, have tho honour to report that having taken evidence (which accompanies this report) on tho subject, and deliberated thereupon, they have agreed to the following resolutions, which they have the honour to report to the House coast of sixty tons and upwards should be permitted to leave port without four deck hande at least. (2) That in steamers of seventy five tons and upwards it is also desirable that there should, in addition to a master and the proper number of crew, be a first and second mate, unless in tho case of short voyages, when permission may be granted by the Customs authorities to dispense with a second mate. (3) That with the object of preventing the overloading of vessels, Plimsoll’s mark should bo fixed bv the Marino Department, in accordance with a fixed rule to bo made by the Department in that behalf, and the Customs authorities enjoined to see that no vessel shall leave port with this mark submerged. (4) That attention ousht specially to be paid to the seaworthy character of tho boats on board of all oea-going vessels, and that they ought to bo so swung as to be perfectly accessible and otherwise ready for any emergency. (5) In addition to the usual amount of life buoys and other life saving apparatus, it should bo enacted that every passenger-bearing vessel shall bo bound to have a life belt or jacket for every passenger tho vessel is licensed to carry, and for

each of the officers and crew; this life belt in steamers to be hung up in every sleeping berth, and a label pointing out its position printed in the same. The committee have the honor to recommend that these resolutions be taken into consideration by the Government with a view of amending the Shipping and Seamen’s Act 1877 in the direction indicated at the earliest possible date.