FEW SAILING SHIPS

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 772, 19 September 1929, Page 18

FEW SAILING SHIPS

HARBOURMASTERS AND PILOTS A BAR REMOVED THE SUN’S Parliamentary Reporter PARLIAMENT BLDGS., Wed. Seamen who have had experience in steamships only will be able to become pilots and harbourmasters, positions from which they have been barred in the past because of the lack of sailing vessel qualifications. This information was contained in a reply today in the House by the Minister of Marine, the Hon. J. G. Cobßfe, to a question asked by Mr. C. H. Chapman (Wellington North), who asked the Minister would he take’ steps to modify the regulations so that seamen holding steamship certificates could be appointed to positions as harbourmasters, pilots, marine surveyors and examiners. Only one sailing ship had arrived in Wellington from overseas during a the past five years and opportunity's for sailingship exeperience were extremely limited. It is agreed that the existing regulation which restricts the appointment of pilots and harbourmasters to those whose certificates are gained in sail is no longer reasonable, said Mr. Cobbe, and it is proposed to amend the regulation accordingly. Nautical surveyors of ships have to carry out their duties on ships of all descriptions, many of which are equipped for sailing and have auxiliary power, and some for sailing only, and it is therefore still necessary for these officers to have been trained in sail. As to examiners of masters and mates, these officers still have to examine candidates for certificates in sail and steam, so must be possessed of certificates in sail.