OIL IN HARBOURS.

Wairarapa Age, 18 March 1927, Page 7

OIL IN HARBOURS.

PROSECUTION IN AUCKLAND. CONVICTION ENTERED. AUCKLAND, March. 17. The Auckland Harbour Board this afternoon at the Police Court prosecuted Captain R. Ringdall, master of the American freighter West Henshaw, on a charge that on March 15 he failed to prevent the use of a pump on his vessel in pumping oil from the bilges or tanks into the harbour. Mr. Grayappeared to prosecute on behalf of Captain H. H. Sergeant, Harbourmaster, while Mr. West represented Captain Ringdall, who pleaded guilty.

Mr. West stated that the West Henshaw had been at sea for 26 days and reached Auckland on Saturday last. On Monday, the bilges were sounded in the ordinary way. However, against the express instructions of the master, a junior officer started the pumps going. There was no suggestion of evasion or obstruction of the by-law. It was purely an oversight, and counsel suggested that a conviction without a penalty would meet the case.

On behalf of the Auckland Harbour Board, Mr. Gray stated that the pumping ceased as soon as the mate’s attention was drawn to the matter. However, the pumps had been going for an hour and a half, and quite a large quantity of oil was discharged. Tho board did not press for a penalty, but merely desired that tho attention of shipmasters should be drawn to the provisions of the law. In this connection, the new Oil in Territorial Waters Act, which contained highly penal provisions, was to come into force on April 1. This Act provides for the infliction of penalties amounting to £5OO for every day, or part of a day, when oil is discharged. Defendant was convicted and ordered to pay costs, £2 12s.—(P.A.).