UNSEAWORTHY SHIPS IN THE COLONIES.

Kumara Times, Issue 1094, 2 April 1880, Page 4

UNSEAWORTHY SHIPS IN THE COLONIES.

We (Otago Daily Times) see with great pleasure that this subject has recently been discussed before the New South Wales Assembly by Mr Cameron, who in the course of his remarks read the following letter, the statements in which he stated he had obtained confirmation of : “ Newcastle, January 9fch 1880. “To Angus Cameron, Esq., M.L.A. "Sir,—At a general meeting of the Newcastle and Stockton Shipwrights’ Provident Union, held at the rooms, on January sth, the following resolution was carried: —“That the secretary be empowered to write to A. Cameron, Esq., M.L.A., and the city and country members, calling their attention to the fact of the unseaworthy condition of some vessels leaving the port, and also whether the Government Surveyor has the power to prevent them going to sea in that condition.’ On the authority of the above resolution I beg respectfully to address yon, and supply you with a few of the facia that bear upon the case. Some months back the brig Brenda sailed from this port to Melbourne, half in ballast, and with a double crew to pump her. Her back was broken and she was leaking fearfully—in fact, she had to pnt into this port from the above causes. Fortunately she met with fine weather and reached her destination safely. Also to the brig Rita, despatched from Sydney, which bad to put into this port leaking like a sieve. Also to the schooner Martha Ellen, at present in port. lam Informed that two crews have refused to sail in her; but should she find a crew reckless enough to go in her, she will most assuredly sail in her present nnseaworthy condition, there being apparently no person having any authority to detain her. As far as I can learn, the only Government official (a Captain* Bertram) has only power to detain a vessel if she is overloaded with cargo, let her be ever so rotten or unseaworthy. Certainly a crew that are dissatisfied with the unseaworthiness of a vessel may demand a survey to be held upon her before she proceeds to sea ; but the vessel by that time is loaded, and the marine surveyors have not the opportunity to survey her thoroughly ; they simply sound the well to see what quantity of water is in her, and after the expiration of twenty-four hours sound her again to see if she has made sufficient water to drain her—a very insufficient method, you must allow, because a vessel lying in the still waters of a harbor would not make near the water that she would buffeting with tempestuous weather on the ocean. With all due respect, I think what is wanted is this—that the Imperial (or Plimsoll’s) Act in its entirety should be adopted here; and I think that if any member of Parliament was successful by his exertions in causing this much needed reform in these matters, he would cover himself with as justly honorable fame as did Mr Plimsoll in England. You will see by the foregoing remarks that I have only alluded to the unseaworthiness of hulls of vessels. I have no doubt but that the Seamen’s Union could inform you of the rottenness of the sails and rigging, also ot the insufficient supply of gear, because it is a notorious fact that numbers o! vessels have been wrecked in bad weather through bad and unsuffioient gear. Trusting that you will bring this matter forward and use your undoubted talents (as you may beat think fit) in furtherance of this just cause, “I have, &0., “ Thomas Hyland, “ Secretary Newcastle and Stockton

“ Shipwrights’ Provident Union. “ Peakin street, Newcastle.” Mr Cameron also referred to the long standing grievance of the New South Wales Seamen’s Union, that men were sent to sea in ships which, is not unseaworthy, were so badly provided with gear and rigging that in many cases the men refused to go, and were accordingly liable to bo prosecuted. The following extract from his speech reads like one of Mr Plimsoils orations :—“He had been informed that ships were being sent, if not out of this port (Sydney), at least out of Newcastle, in a state in which it was extremely likely that they would go to the bottom unless they were favored with fine weather. If he believed this to be the case, he was justified in bringing the matter before honorable gentlemen. (Hear, hear.) He had heard seamen here exclaim as a steamer was going (from the wharf. It s a'sbame she is allowed to leave the wharf.’ He had seen the Hero leave this port so deeply laden that one would think the water would run into her by the portholes. He had worked on board a mail ship—the Macgregor—a great lofty ship, and seen her so heavily laden with coal that a person could stretch a hand over the stern into a boat swinging there. He had seen, and others assert they have seen, vessels engaged in the [coal trade between this and Newcastle, coming into port in rough weather, laden in a most disgraceful manner. (Hear, hear.) They all knew of the unhappy wreck of the Cawarra, and knew also of the reports made at the time that her loss was in a large degree attributable to her being too heavily laden. He had himself travelled to Melbourne in a steamship so heavdy laden that in a rough wind and high sea the officers had left themselves necessitated to call upon the passengers to assist in the removal of the deck cargo. He had been on the Melbourne Company’s wharf, and seen tne steamers scandalously overloaded; and on the [Queen’s wharf he had seen the colliers coming into that port in such a state that if rough weather had arisen they must inevitably have gone to the bottom. Gentlemen who themselves owned coasting

vessels had assured him that, as a matter of fact, vessels went out in such a condition that it was a tempting of Providence. On behalf of the poor crews who went out in them he thought it was right to have something said about this.” We have taken the foregoing from the Australasian Shipping News, and in doing so we corroborate Mr Cameron’s statements, instances of unseaworthy vessels being despatched from Newcastle for this port being by no means rare. One such vessel was, through our efforts in calling attention to its state, detained for survey and ordered to be more thoroughly repaired than some persons thought necessary ; while, although another vessel managed to escape and make her way back to Newcastle, the master and owners will still have to answer for their laches, and no doubt will be mulcted in the full penalty allowed by the law in cases where vessels, so to speak, “ bolt” without having obtained a clearance from Her Majesty’s Customs. It is indeed high time that the Imperial Act was adopted throughout the whole of the Australasian Colonies, in order that something like supervision might be practised, and a stop put to the nefarious practices of those parties who send vessels to se deeply laden with cargo, and in such a state that men’s lives are not safe on board them. We trust Mr Cameron may succeed in inducing the Government of New South Wales to take steps for the prevention of these evils, and that ne shall before long be in possession of the news that in New South Wales Mr Plimsoll’s Act has at last been adopted.