Agreement on lifejackets

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32720, 24 September 1971, Page 10

Agreement on lifejackets

(Ntv> Zealand Press Asinelsiiam

DUNEDIN, September 23. An agreement over replacement of Mme of the lifejackets on board the Lake Wokatipn steamer Earnslaw has been negotiated between the Railways Department and Fiordland Travel, Ltd, which runs the ship under lease from the department.

This will enable 500 conference delegates to be taken on a lake cruise next Monday evening. After a survey of life-sav-ing equipment on board the 60-year-old vessel last week, Marine Department officers announced a reduction in the number of passengers permitted to be carried; A Marine Department surveyor, Mr T. Warren, had described foe lifejackets in the ship as outdated-

The general manager of Fiordland Travel, Ltd (Mr C, H. Barnes), said a further inspection of lifejackets in the Eamslaw had been made this week, and all of the olderpattern jackets were now unacceptable to the Marine Department. Mr Warren had said last week that he was prepared to accept some of the older type of lifejackets, provided they were replaced over the next four years.

“We have been advised, however, that a number of the new type of lifejacket required by Marine Department regulations have been de.

snatched from Wellington to Dunedin by the Railways Department for use in the Eamslaw," ho said, These jackets were the Railways Department's contribution to the replacement of the ship's total number of 31$ lifejackets.