AUSTRALIAN NAVIGATION ACT

Otago Daily Times, Issue 17690, 30 July 1919, Page 6

AUSTRALIAN NAVIGATION ACT

TI-IE SUSPENDED PROCLAMATION. (From Ouh Own Correspondent.) SYDNEY, July 14. It may be remembered that in 1912 the Australian Federal Parliament, being then completely under tho domination of Labour, passed the Navigation ' Act. It involved such drastic alterations in the treatmentof seaman on all ships on the Australian register that- it caused something of a sensation at. tho time. It was said that it would demand structural alterations in most ships at a cast almost sufficient to put the ship out of business. London shipping interests were profoundly disturbed, and all sorts of efforts were made to either kill tho Bill or greatly modify it. But the measure went right through, and was duly sent to England for the Royal assent, after which it was to be proclaimed. All the little delays of officialdom were put in tho way, but the sta-QE was eventually reached when tho Imperial authorities had either to consent to the measure or definitely refuse assent to it; and at this crisis came the war. The Imperial authorities then made a perfectly reasonable request—that the now Act 'be not proclaimed during the period of the war,' as it would only add to tho ship-owners' many difficulties. Australia agreed tn this, and some worthy gentlemen in Australia and England breathed more freely, and decided that there was one silver lining to the war-cloud, anyhow. Now, with tho end of the war, interest is again aroused in tho Navigation Act. The seamen on strike have repeatedly declared that if the Navigation Act is proclaimed, all that they are asking for will be given them, and tho strike will end. Hie Gov-, ernment has now announced that the Act will bo proclaimed, but /rot immediately: but there is a suspicion abroad that tho Government desires, before proclamation, to get a measure through to amend the Act ' in one or two partioulars. There is scope for amendment. Tho Act "ives minute details of what must , bo provided for the crews. The seamen's , menu, for instance, is' to include bread, biscuits, various kinds of meats, with bacon .. and rabbits, fish, a. wide variety of vegei tables, and such things as marmalade, syrup, pickles, dried fruits, and curries. The men aro to bo so housed that there will be sft between bunks and 140 cubic feot of ; space for each man: they havo not to go below the winter loadline, nor near anything malodorous; and_ they aic to have a separata messroom suitably and conveniently arranged on tho open deck. Where a library is provided for the uso of passengers, seaman are to be permitted to I obtain books therefrom under tho same ■ conditions as passengers. If any ship i not on the Australian register carries pasi sengers between Australian ports it may ! be declared su'bject to the provisions of this Act.