REGULATION OF TRAFFIC

Auckland Star, Volume XLI, Issue 133, 7 June 1910, Page 5

REGULATION OF TRAFFIC

DEPUTATION TO THE MINISTER.

A deputation from the Harbour Board, consisting of Messrs. A. J. Entrican (chairman), Smeeton, Bradley,. Kneen, Gunson, Mennie,.McEarlane, and Heather, with the Board's solicitor (Mr. Russell), waited upon the H*on. J. A. Millar, Minister of Marine, this morning. ■ Mr. Entrican said they had come to put a little matter before him : that had cropped up between the Marine Department and the Harbour Board. The Harbour Board had just passed a new set of by-laws, and three of_ theni Had been practically copied "from ' the old lines. These dealt with the licensing of vessels plying for Mre inside thg harbour. ■When the by-laws -were sent to the-Department they were returned, with the request that they should be modified. With regard to the licensing of steamers, it -was thought that the Board, as far as passenger vessels were concerned, should control these, and be able to refuse licenses if vessels did not have the necessary accommodation ..for : passengers. The: by-la-w had been in force, and had been carried out with discretion. There had- been complaints received , by the Board from Xorth Shore residents, and in cases the}' had been able to get a compromise between the people and the Ferry Company, and thus lessen friction.

After further asking as to the Board's position, Mr. Entrican called on Mr. Russell, the Board's solicitor, who said that, under the " Harbour ' Act, the responsibility rested upon the Board for steamers plying within the Harbour for hire. The points he "thought. desirable the Board should retain, were those governing the . establishment of lavator-

ies, the absence of sufficient seating accommodation ia the cabiiis and on decki and reasonable ventilation in. the cabins. He suggested it was quite reasonable for the Board to-;■ retain. the right to provide for :effective'."lJnieaiis for. preventing seas . coming;;_intpCthe cabins. This ■was a' concrete fact, "as some .of the vessels had no means .'.of preventing seas making thsir..>yay-;jnto the cabins. Another point was that a number of passengers on the ferry, steamers suffered from smuts from -tire funnels; and he suggested it was an im.-" pqrtant' consideration that people should travel "without . having ■ their . clothes spoilt. The Board should have some say in this. V ■ '' - -

-The -Hon. Mr. Millar replied-at.con-siderable length.-- He- pointed out that the Marine Department had authority by' -Act-of .Parliament, which controls every vessel in every/harbour intSTew.-«Zeala"nd, and the duties cast upbn'.-tbem' were to see that every, vessel 'was. in every way qualified for the work for which she was specified.: The: Shipping and.Seamen's Act laid down that every vessel had •to be surveyed: The Department appointed surveyors, and in no place, in ..the. world was the standard of survey higher than in Hew . Zealand. The .Minister went on to deal with the Shipping and. Seamen's Act, 'by which the - Marine Department had control over vessels, and explained the requirements of the different clauses, wiich set out that-attention had to be given to all matters dealing "with accommodation, ventilation, speeil, etc."' Continuing, he" said "that .what "the Board wanted Was, notwithstanding the resolutions of the Act,-to come;along and refuse to license a._vessel^or for the Har-. bourmaster to' come along and say : the. vessel was not goingiro run. They could not work, he considered, under that dual control.- The whole trouble of the little friction was apparently local, in connection with one or two of the ferry steamers, and the Board wanted to force the owners to do anything they wan ted. Mr. Russell said the by-law "Had "been in force for twenty years. '

Mr. Millar: It has-not been in force in 'the way you want if. This matter is going to be fought out in the new Act this session. ■ ' . ■ '■ •-.

Continuing, Mr. Millar said that' under the Act fullest provision was made for the preservation of life: and property, and after the surveyors appointed by the Department had issued a certificate to a vessel, they were not going to have "any local authority ■ composed of; men very good in their own line of business, but who did not have any practical knowledge about shipping, coining and saying when the ship was fit to run. He said he had given the reason for the responsibility laid upon the Department by the Harbour', anii. Shipping : Act, and .if a certificate was issued 'by the surveyors authorised by - ithe Department, they were not going to be overridden by any local authority.

Mr. Entrican assured the Minister that the attitude taken up would relieve them. 2Jovv" that th« responsibility had been removed from the "board, they were absolutely satisfied.

On Mr. Millar'e suggestion, 'Mr. Entrieah agreed to have the by-laws placed "before "3lr. ' "Russell "for modification, when they would be: placed before Mr. Millar./ .. - -

After thanking the Minister,: the de putation