Minister To Fix Tanker Manning

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30845, 2 September 1965, Page 3

Minister To Fix Tanker Manning

(from Our Parliamentary Reporter)

WELLINGTON, September 1

The manning scale for large tankers such as the Athelviscount operating on the New Zealand coast in connexion with the Marsden Point oil refinery was discussed in Parliament tonight during the second reading debate on the Shipping and Seamen Amendment Bill.

The bill provides for the manning of such vessels to be fixed from time to time by the Governor-General by order-in-council on the recommendation of the Minister of Marine after consultation with the maritime unions.

Mr W. A. Fox (Opp., Miramar), a former Minister of Marine, said it would be better for all concerned if the manning scale was laid down in a schedule to the bill.

Mr D. J. Riddiford (Govt., Wellington Central), who was chairman for the Labour and Mines Committee which had studied the bill before its return to the House, said that provision for manning scales had been adequately dealt with. With the onset of automation in the large tanker, knowledge was insufficient to justify the addition of a manning schedule to the act.

Mr N. V. Douglas (Opp., Auckland Central) said that the committee had made 15 amendments to the original bill, most of which related to manning. He thought the scale could be dealt with by other means than by order-in-council.

The Minister of Marine (Mr Scott) said that overseas countries had various methods of handling the situation. He thought the present idea was the best way out of the situation.