SHIP MASTER’S DUTY.

Taranaki Daily News, 18 February 1922, Page 5

SHIP MASTER’S DUTY.

PROPER PAPERS NECESSARY. THE CUSTOMS TAKE ACTION. By Telegraph—Press Association Auckland, Last Night. The master of the Federal steamer Westmoreland. Captain S. T. Deith, was fined. £25 at the Police Court to-day for failing to report his ship in a correct manner under section .31 of the Customs Act. The Collector of Customs (Mr. Ridings) said the Act required all vessels arriving from overseas to supply the Customs within twenty-four hours with the manifest and a list of bills of lading for her cargo. During the war many ships had failed to do this for reasons that were obvious. Since then there had been a slight improvement, but there was a great deal of scope for better compliance with the Act. The Westmoreland loaded at Bristol, Glasgow and Liverpool, and had arrived here with only 206 Liverpool bills of lading, while it was not till nearly a fortnight later that some 900 bills of lading were received. After the arrival of the Westmoreland the Somerset, also a Federal vessel, came into port and she had no bills at all. After this the Leitrim, a steamer owned by another company, came here from the same ports, and she produced all her papers. This made Mr. Ridings think there was some slackness on the part of the Federal line. Mr. Bagnall, for the defence, said he understood it had not been the practice for the ship to bring her own papers, which were forwarded by the next mail. An information against the master of the Somerset was withdrawn, Mr. Ridings stressing that the proceedings were to be a warning.