SHIPPING AND SEAMEN'S BILL

Auckland Star, Volume XXV, Issue 208, 31 August 1894, Page 3

SHIPPING AND SEAMEN'S BILL

BEFORE THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

AN INTERESTING DEBATE.

(BY TELEGRAPH.-—PARLIAMENTARY BE-

PORTER.)

Wellington; this day. In the Legislative Council yesterday, the Hon. - Montgomery Bhorbly moved the second reading of the Shipping and Seamen's Amendment Acb, in connection with which the Hon. McCullough presented a petition from Auckland Bteamship owners, praying thab nothing in clause 6 shall apply to small steamers trading within expended river limits, and pointing out that the greater proportion of these boats travel mostly in daylight. The petition was ordered to be laid on the table, and notice given jbbab it be ordered to be printed owing to its importance. The Hon. Bonar asked that the second reading be not pressed ab once, as the measure was one of importance. There was, he was aware, a very uneasy feeling amongst owners of small steamers that the Bill if carried would mean to them simply ruin and destruction. He moved the adjournment of the debate. The Hon. Pollen thoughb at this late stage of the session ib was nob desirable to postpone the second reading of any Government; policy bills. Any details could be discussed in Committee. la 1877 he had introduced the principal Acb referred to in this Bill, and so strong was the feeling thab this was one affecting international rights that ib was reserved- for Royal assent, and therefore, he thoughb this should be approached with alt consideration, as those mainly interested in this legislation were not directly represented in the Chamber. Ib was essentially a labour bill, intended to protect more the interests of employee than employer. He believed one section of the Bill would acb very disastrously upon the whole colony north of Auckland, which depended very greatly on small coasfaera, and, in the interests of what was.called labour, they would be ruined. When the Bill was in Committee he would try and remedy this. He also objected to the clause which specified the number of firemen to be carried, as, ab the time of the maritime strike had this been che law, the whole shipping of the colony would have been under its heel.

The Hon. Pharazyn did nob agree with the adjournment of the debate, and said the Bill was in some respects an improvement on the preeenb law, bub he agreed with Dr. Pollen's remarks as to certain objectionable clauses. The Hons. Swanaon and Jennings said one reason why. the adjournmenb should nob be pressed was thab there were witnesses in town from Auckland to give evidence before the Committee, and every consideration should be given to the pebition presented by Mr McCullough.

The Hon. Bonar, seeing the desire of the Council, withdrew bis motion, and the Hon. Stewart continued the debate from a legal aspect, mentioning the large number of acts repealed, to which the Committee should pay great attention. The Hon. G. McLean said thab the Bill was an important measure. The Acb of 1877 was a work be took great intereeb in, and he had the assistance of the late Mr Stevens, who was a very able man, and after monShs of work, they had a pretty perfecb measure. No doubfc, ib had some defects, and the present Bill was, no doubb, intended to remedy some of them, bub ib was broughb in after a fight the colony had not yet recovered from, and it was well the delay had occurred, for ib had undergone considerable modification even in the last few days, and he thought ib would undergo still more in the Council. In the Act of 1892 there was a qualification of fireman, and during the whole time of conflict unions had to permit them to take men for the stokehole. If they allowed this qualification of firemen, unions could etop ships. There was no necessity for qualification, as companies would nob bake unqualified men if they could get qualified men. As to qualified seamen, he contended thab one year's work on a steamer made a man as qualified for steamer work as six years wonld, for there was nob much going alofb on coastal work. He also pointed out thab he had had great difficulty to geb young New Zealanders into the marine, but since the strike they had had a number of small cockatoos' sons, who were more desirable men than the foreign class. As to the effect of the Bill on his own company, he said ib was nob desired to come up to their standard, and the Union Company did not wanb to reduce theirs. A boat) in a certain trade of a certain indicated horse-power, had to be driven at a high rate of speed, so that the schedule of the Bill would require consideration. He knew well the Government did nob wish to be unjusb, and wonld receive any reasonable suggestions. In all other colonies steamers were allowed a combined number of saloon and steerage passengers, but not here, and he contended thab all thab was required was thab passengers should be satisfied as to life-saving apparatus. The whole tendency of legislation had been to a restriction of trade, and he could assure them it would be much less trouble for owners to allow ships to be in port, and discharge men, rather than try to send ships to sea. He would never be a party to sending ships to sea in unfit condition, and their superintendent and engineer had instructions to this effect. Ib was criminal neglecb to allow ships nob properly provided to sail, and Government would have his assistance to stop this. He had not wished to deal with this matter, bub considered it his duty to give his opinion when he was acquainted with the subject. Sir George Whitmore thought the Hon. McLean had proved the Bill should nob be sent go the Labour Bills Commibtee unless it had associated with it some expert members of the Council who were qualified to deal with its details.

The Hon. Jenkinson said the cockatoos' sons referred to were " blacklegs " and a greab many of them ne'er-do-weels, and bhe less said about them the better.

The Hon. Montgomery, in reply, thanked the Council for their reception of the Bill, and said all the Government desired was fair discussion, so that they might have a Bill which would be fair to seamen, firemen, passengers and owners. The Bill was read a second time on the voices.