OIL ON HARBOUR

Hokitika Guardian, 16 November 1931, Page 6

OIL ON HARBOUR

' i on tit fiiu -wim <rimm m VJimw AUCKLAND CRAFT DAMAGED LINER’S MASTER FINED. AUCKLAND, November 12. A fine of £IOO was imposed on Captain Hartman, master of the liner Tamaroa, who pleade ( ] guilty to-day to a charge of allowing oil to be dischaiged from a vessel in territorial waters. Counsel for the Auckland Harbour Board said tile . board bad no reason to disbelieve that the discharge of oil was due to an unfortunate oversight. Counsel for the captain said a communication down the ship’s telegiaph was apparently misunderstood f with the result that the chief engineer ordered the flushing of the tank. The second officer noticed the oil on the water and the discharge was immediately stopped. It was the first time in the company’s history that such an offence had been committed.

In reply to the magistrate counsel for the board said a list of pleasure craft damaged by the floating oil had been prepared. The total damage was estimated at £l5B.

The magistrate ordered the amount of the fine to * )e P a,( l to a representative of the owners of the pleasure craft damaged for ajiportionment, except £ls, which is to be paid to the Harbour Board to meet the cost it incurred in sending boats to retrieve til-* oil.