MARITIME CONFERENCE

Taranaki Daily News, Volume L, Issue 59, 25 April 1907, Page 3

MARITIME CONFERENCE

1 London, April 23. Sir William Lyne proposed to abolish imprisonment for desertion. lie declared that lie did not desire lo place foreign ships in a better or worse position than British.

Jlr Norman liill objected that seamen were allowed to go fre.- if they forfeited. their wages, yet if a seaman 1 proved an ''undesirable" the shipowners were lined for leaving them behind.

Mr Hughes interjected:—"You are between the devil aud the deep sea, so there."

_ Ultimately, on Mr Hughes' suggestion, the motion was amended and carried as (follows: —That imprisonment for desertion be abolished in 'the country where a seaman was engaged, except where a seaman, after negotiating an advance note, wilfully or through misconduct, fails to join hi* ship or deserts before the note is payable provided that in respect of desertion from ships other than tho&i registered in tiic Commonwealth, or whose final port of discharge oif crew is the Commonwealth, deserters shall be placed aboard sueli vessels upon request by a competent authority, that of the Consul in case of a foreign and the caprafn in eas: l of a British ship. The Colonial delegates refused to accept Mr Hill's rider providing if imprisonment for desertion were ajbolishcd a shipowner should be relieved of responsibility for the iepatriation of the deserter and relieved of any State penalty. The Conference has adjourned to the 29th inst.