PREVENTION OF DESERTION FROM FOREIGN VESSELS.

New Zealander, Volume 9, Issue 715, 19 February 1853, Page 2

PREVENTION OF DESERTION FROM FOREIGN VESSELS.

It affords us pleasure to give publicity to the following correspondence which has recently passed between the United Stales ViceConsul at Auckland, and the Colonial Government. It will be seen that the loss .and inconvenience suffered by the Captains of American Whalers and other Foreign Vessels, owing to the want of power to protect themselves from desertion or other misconduct on the part of their crews, having been brought officially under the notice of the Lieut.-Governor, llis Excellency immediately caused the necessary steps to be taken for the prevention of these evils, and for securing a s far as possible the desired protection to those welcome and valuable visitors to our Port. It may be due to Mr. Bunt, who bus but recently undertaken the duties ol ViccConsuLfor the United States at this port, to notice the vigilance he has exercised in relation to this matter, as soon as the evils connected with it became apparent to him. We were a war that he had taken steps to effect a rcmectey, and arc now pleased on comparing dales to find that his judicious letter .to the Government was written five days before the draft of a memorial on the same subject appeared in the columns of our contcmporaary— document which was observed must have been drawn up more especially with a view to affect other questions, than the one with which it professed to deal, and which it was feared would not have had any good effect if it had been presented. The main point, however, is the gratifying assurance of the effective attention of the Government to the matter, which we have no doubt win? prove satisfactory to the Captains and others most directly concerned. Consulate of the United States of America, Auckland, Feb. 3rd, 1853, Sin, — The recent instances of desertion frOrn, and mutiny in the Bremen Ship Rcpublik , together with the serious inconvenience experienced bv the American Whalers now in Harbour, induce me to call the attention of His Excellency the Lieut.Governor to the very urgent necessity for making provision for the better protection of Foreign Vessels, by empowering the Resident Magistrate to deal summarily with such cases ; and as the prosper ity of the Port must, to a certain extent, depend upon the aid afforded to Foreign vessels in retaining their crews, I trust that before the several Whalers now in harbour, belonging to the United States, proceed on their respective voyages, I may be authorized to assure them that it is the intention of the Government to adopt measures to insure their protection in future and prevent the delay and consequent loss of which they so loudly and justly complain. I have the honour to be, , Sir, Your obedient servant, James Bertt, U. S. Vice-Consul. To the Honorable The Colonial Secretary. Colonial Secretary’s Office, Auckland, February Bth, 1853. Sir, — In reply to Tour letter of the 3rd instant, requesting that the Government would adopt measures for preventing desertion from Foreign Ships whilst in this port, I am instructed by the Lieutenant-Governor to inform you that the subject will at once be attended to. In the meantime the Resident Magistrate has been informed how to act pending the consideration of any special Ordinance on the subject. I have the honor to be, Sir, Your obedient Servant, 1 Andrew Sinclair, Colonial Secretary. J. Burtt, Esq,, U. S. Vice-Consul.