Effort To Stop Women From Frequenting Ships

Press, Volume XCIV, Issue 28016, 10 July 1956, Page 7

Effort To Stop Women From Frequenting Ships

(New Zealand Press Association)

WELLINGTON. July 9. ■ t pclke and shipping and Harbours' .. jsxaation representatives are to con- * j next week with a view to bring- ‘ g before the Acting-Minister of , eljce (Mr D. J. Eyre) and the MinJ ta-of Justice IMrJ. R. Marshall) \ !o posals to reduce the practice of , TO en frequenting ships for immoral ‘jnras agreed that there would have o bea general tightening up of ships' j wipline. wharf control, and police v atroffin? at ports to meet this probal said Mr Eyre tonight, after he Mr Marshall had talked with is aresentatives of all the rri-'or s piping lines and of the New Zeaj ,rd Harbours' Association during the 3 fternoon. -j expect that some firm recomnendations on some proposals which ... rer e discussed in an exploratory way ; fill be nt’de as a result of next I reek's meeting, and I am anxious that , arly action should be taken.” he said. fbe afternoon meeting was also ats ®ded by representatives of the poli-e ’< md by the New Zealand representa--1 ire of the British National Union of amen (Mr Grenville) a - an observer » - ae president of the New Zealand ? federation of Labour and of the New jealand Seamen's Union (Mr F. P c falsli) had also accepted an invitation .0 attend, but was unable to be < resent because of another engage- » jent However, he met Mr Eyre later ■ 1 the afternoon. Mr Evre said that the meeting had . Iso discussed at some length the 5 nation of more severe penalties for verseas seamen convicted of assaults . n civilians and on the police. He , aid that there was general support I ar the suggestion that seamen so conicted should serve the full sentence nstead of this being interrupted to Bow an offender to rejoin his ship elore sailing from New Zealand. At resent the law provides that a seanan undergoing a prison sentence not sceeding three months may be reamed on board ship before the exin of the term. If necessary, the Government would consider amendment of the law so that he deportation of seamen convicted >f major offences could be carried >ut after the expiry of the longer arms of imprisonment which the more ■erious cases of assault undoubtedly iesaved. Mr Eyre said. The shipping companies, he added, lad agreed to give full co-operation n the transport of offenders after he senring of the full sentence. Preliminary proposals for reducing he frequenting of ships by women or immoral purposes were examined >y the conference this, afternoon. They Deluded the checking of visitors on aid off ships by means of a system if passes (which some shipping comely representatives said was already n operation), greater disciplinary conrol aboard ships, greater patrol ctivity on the wharves bv harbour wards and by the police, and greater p-operation between the police and bins’ masters. Mr Eyre said that a survey had een made of police arrangements for strolling the wharves, particularly » Auckland, Wellington, and Lvttel-

Probtem a h re^ re named as the ma i° r uS< ear '"l cS ™ Mr Evre°saFd IPS ”N nd ( On th . e whar ves'.'’ will 'hrin<?# Ne xt weeks meeting doing th?s forward suctions for fnr l^J req ! lenting of ships by women in S7' P’FPPses. particSlari” as is Juve P‘ lc s appear to be of port bte an ."’tPlprable feature 01 port Ute. he said. “Similarly some 4amen I ”® tances ° f assault involving the nubbo completely repugnant to qidte P true Zeala ”d. It is assanltsVf ihat. m numbers, these but there Ys e = e * lm s d in recent yparsfaults to bl tend «m=y for the assaints to become more vicious and dongerous, and I am anxious to see and Id empowered to give proper and adequate punishment."