BOAT DRILL.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIII, Issue 106, 3 May 1912, Page 7

BOAT DRILL.

' IMfiN rOMPAXY'S PRACTICE. In ror.vor.-aln.ii will) .1 Press repre j pentative, Mr. Prest.in, manager of tho ! l.'nion S.S. Company at Ciishorni , , n> I fprrp.l to the remarks reported in eon nection with the discussion at. the Cham-: her of Comn;prcp executive meeting on, life-saving applianeps. As far as the T'nion Company was concerned boat-drill j ' wjs compulsory, and was regularly and properly earned out one* every month. This had to he done, and was rworded j ;in the official log. The company was I I most pemoline and particular on this 1 I point. It did" not follow that because I persons travelling between Knpier and | flisborne did not' see the drill carried out that such did not take place. It ; was deal* with during the month with- | ■ out any doubt, and the most favourable : ■ opporiunity was taken in any port or at ' spa. if necessary. With regard to life- j . savin cr appliances on the vessels, these : were mrpfnlly overhaule 1 annually and ! oftener. an 1 were supplied in accordance with the ("lovprrimpnt rp--ruirements. All : vessels were overhauled every year, and ! nil boats and appliances were carefully' inspfM-tpd by the Oovernment stlrrevors. i '. In the event of (hp passenger certificate! ibeiau eit.Td»d hevond the ordinary! number specified, special f-ijiiipment and: lifebelts bad to be provided on such permit beiriL' sriven. Referring to the pub- ! lished statement that on occasions the; I vessels between ">Capipr and Clisborne had , ' over one hundred passengers more than: ■ the certificate. Mr. Preston gave this an; absolute and unnualified denial, as in ' the firs: plncp any vessel could not carry j I such a number in addition to that for j -Which the certificate called. Tie said • i that congestion admittedly occurred on i I occasions, and would always occur, even; ! with the proposed ferry service. Even.! I however. -were the company desirous of : I carrying the number indicated in p-XPpss, , ' the 'Customs authorities at the shipprnff' ' and disAflrgiTia , ports take every precau- j tion to cnrefiiTh" check the numbers. Mr. j ' Preston rpptarked that ''a little know-, ! lprlfrp is n dancrprmis thin":." and it was j I reprehensible to create r>.n unnecessary , j and uncalled-for alarm a+ the present electric juncture. As far as the I'nion Co. was concerned, there had 'been no ! 'shaking up." and the public conld rp=t assured that the first ronsidpration in pvpry instance was -'the safety of human , life and propprtT." This was mo=t cm- ! phaticallv laid down, and the puKlir need . not p-xperiencc any iinnecp=«;nr'' ilarm i whatever. notwithstanding what has occurred elsewhere than in Xew Zealand ; i writers. i