NAVIGATION CONFERENCE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume L, Issue 59, 6 April 1907, Page 2

NAVIGATION CONFERENCE.

AUSTRALIAN VIEWS DEFINED. Received sth, 0.12 p.m. ~ . Loudon, April 5. At the Jvavigation Conference, Sir "' ' l '/ M I l '. l ' lul " memorandum, replying to the ship-owners' statement on "the piHetiea! difficulties resulting from the ',!!• ,n merchant mapping legislation. The ship-owners remarked that since 1900, British seamen had increased liy (1000, although there had been a lioyal Commission which based I hen; mom mediations on the decline of Uritisli seamen. , n' r "plied Hint there were still nearly 40,000 foreigner* employed on British merchantmen, besides Asiatics. Jie denied that Australian legislation placed British ships at a disadvantage compared with foreigners. Referring to the liability of shipowners, Sir W. l.ync maintained that the Sea Carriage Act would be continued. He emphasized Australia's great I desire to give British owners preference agamst foreigners, and considered that mor HW " (;l ' i 10 re eognise tliat fact lows°— C ''" e(t Ausl;ra '' llu views hb folI'luit the Australian requirement is f , lS i l ' fceßS,uy ima dcsimble that iill the v l '" m " Bt '* « ul >j'-eted to »il lie leqmrements of British ships; «l„m e i ' cnn ' a f?6 of goods, foreigner™ ]UI ' nci ' ""gainst tlw The proportion of British seamen can, ami ought to be, increased until the foreigner hali been reduced or eliminated; The Australian coasting trade shall be restricted to vessels complying with Australian conditions, prefcrenas being given to British ships engaged in coast trade; As far as practicable the skipping laws' requirements should be uniform throughout the Empire. Sir VV. Lyne considered that the New Zealand and Australian legislation ought to generally constitute the basis of a uniform law, and each British colony, should give preference to British vessels in all sea trade.

A SERIES OF RESOLUTIONS. ; Received sth, 0.40 p.m. n London, April 6. On Sir J. G. Ward's motion, the cojh ference agreed to five resolutions, providing that the issue of a Board of Trade eurvcy certificate in the case if non-passenger vessels, aUo that Board of Trade standards, and certificates legpecting huli, machinery, boilers, and Hfe< saving appliances should be accepted, for British vessels in Australia and Ne.v Zealand, and have the same effect aa local certificates Sir W. Lyno suggested the lost provision. The Conference agreed that the provisions scale of 1006 of the Imperial Act bo aoiepled for use on British ships not registered in Australasia, and agreed! that provisions on British Bhipa, when passed by Imperial officers, be exempt from further inspection In Australasia except on complaint, or where the authorities have reason to believe inspection is necessary. , It was also agreed that Australasia'* conditions regarding manning ventilation and conveniences only apply to vessels registered colonially, or engaged in the Australasian coastal trade, .