LICENSING OF PERRY BOATS.

Auckland Star, Volume XLI, Issue 161, 9 July 1910, Page 8

LICENSING OF PERRY BOATS.

NO (By Telegraph.—Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON, Friday. The recent controversy between the Auckland Harbour Board and the Marine Department relative to the licensing of ferry boats wa= ap-topie of'-dlseus-sion during to-night's idebate on the Harbours Amendment Bill in the-House of Representatives. -"- • ' £ ■ The Hon. J. A. Millar" (Minister for Marine) said he desired .to explain to the House the reason for inserting clause 54 in the bill. This,clause provides that, any surveyed ship shall be entitled to ply for hire in harbours. It was neeeseary, in view of the trouble which had arisen at Auckland, to define the Department's powers in regard to the licensing of ferry boats. In the earlier daye, •when the ferry service mainly depended ■upon watermen's dhows, the license was vested in the Harbour Board. There had never been any trouble until the Board took upon itself the right to veto a certificate given by the Marine Department or the Board of Trade. It was not desired to take away the Harbour Board's right to issue licensee, or to collect fees, but they had no right to refuse to endorse the license of a boat passed by officers of the Marine Department. The Auckland Harbour Board had not a single practical man amongst its members, and yet considered that, if they so desired, they could refuse a boat like the Mararoa the right to go- on-the ferry service. Dual control was unknown anywhere, and it was not going to be eouniernaneed by the Department. The Board, might take it into its, head to. say that they ■would not license a vessel unless it carried a top deck-house, and then the Marine Department's officer might come along and say that such alteration would make the r boat unsea worthy/ He put it to the House whose opinion should carry most weight. He wanted it to be made clear that when a ship-owner had complied with the law and had his certificate from the Marine Department that should suffice. Mr. H. W. Hemes: What about Rotorua Lake? The Minister: That is under the control of the Government. Mr. Herries: If you make inquiries, you will find that BoaTd of Trade rules are not recognised there. ~Mr. C.H. Poole said lie had listened ■with interest to-the" Minister's statement of the ease, but he would like to remind the Minister that the administration of the Department was not quite as satisfactory as it might be. Some . of the protests made T>y the Harbour Board were protests against irregular administration in the past. He would like to recount to the House a painful case that occurred in Auckland a year or two ago. An antiquated tub, leaking like a sieve, set out for the Wai--1 kato. "This old dug-out was allowed to go continued Mr. Poole r ; ''and when off Tiri began to , leak. She T Ttais' patched by -the—crew, -and got as ■■ far as Whangarei. Then heavy seas were - encountered, and she sank off the Heads, i~ the crew escaping by taking to the boats. - Had she got round the North Gape arid the accident there happened, not a man would have been left to tell the tale; When cases such as these arc-on record, - it be wondered that the Auckland - 'Harbour Board wants to take the matter in its own hands, and see that only boats which are thoroughly seaworthy ', obtain licenses? .We have too many " old vessels cruising round—vessels that should long ago have been placed on , the scrap-heap. There is a natural objection on the part of the public to a i watery grave within cooee. of land, and : it "the" Department wants to exercise sole ; control it must see that -there is not ■ cause to quarrel with its administra- : tion."- - -'■-• •■. ,-'. ■■-:.' 3 Mr. L. K. Phillipps, in speaking of this matter, said he did not, think it wise - that the control of the ferry service '. should be placed entirely in the hands 1 /of a central authority, and he "thought ; the local Harbour Board should have ; come say in the licensing of ferry --steamers. *". ■~-js The Hon. Millar, in reply to Mr. * Poole-s contention,'-said the boat .re t ferred 'to "had been surveyed".for "Mr-" 1 bonr and river., work in "smooth water, 1 and "It was ■while travelling along'thf coast to take' on river work on the Waikato that she came_ to grief. He objected to the- Auckland Board's attempt to arrogate the α-ight. of control " -when they could not move a six-ton, boat .•w.ithgut i a_marine survey certificate. -