CAPTAIN'S OFFENCE

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 67, 6 April 1937, Page 9

CAPTAIN'S OFFENCE

Telegraph— Press Aasociation.)

Ship Discharges Oi! in Harbour FINES IMPOSED

(By

j' AUCKLAND, Last Night. The master of the oil-tanker Bidley was prosecuted by the Auckland Har- , bour Board under the Oil in Territorial Waters Act for allowing oil tp be discharged intro the harbour, before Mr Wyvern Wilson, S.M., in the Magistrate's Court. j Mr McVeagh, who appeared for the | Harbour Board, said that on March 31 jan officer of the board observed oil being discharged from the Bidley. He drew the attention of the third officer to it and the engine-soom was notified at once, while steps were taken to check the oil. The Harbour Board had incurred charges- amounting to £3 in clearing the oil. "The pro'secution is brought under the Oil in Territorial Waters Act and the legislature views the offence as serious," said Mr McVeagh. "It is very important in the interests of shipping tha,t steps shonld be taken to prevent any escape of oil into the waters of th© harbour." • Mr Cocker, for diefendant, said the episode was purely accidentak The biige h'ad collected water which seeped through from the propeller shaft and ! brought oil with it. There was no1 danger of fire as the oil was of a heavy j type which would burn only nnder pressure. . ' ! "The indiscriminate or careless diseharge of oil in territorial whters is a very serious mafter, for apart from the risk of fire within the harbour limits, there is the cruelty inflicted on birds that infest the coast and injury to fishjing," said the Magistrate. He added • that the circumstances in this case, ■ however, were not serious and it was an unforeseen and accidental discharge cansed by a leaky valve discharged int'o the bilge. It would be sufficient to •enter a conviction and order defendant 1 to pay the full costs of the Harbour Board and expenses of cleaning the harbour. The amount would be £5 5s solicitor's fees and £3.