The law at sea

Press, Volume CXIII, Issue 33382, 14 November 1973, Page 16

The law at sea

The Lyttelton Harbour Board has found that the admirable system of wardens introduced last summer to enforce the regulations governing powered pleasure craft in the harbour cannot operate effectively because drivers of offending craft cannot always be identified. Even where the owner or driver of a boat is known, if he chooses to ignore a summons so that a warden cannot identify him before a court the matter cannot proceed: and because offences with powered craft are punishable only by fines the Court cannot order an accused person to appear before it If small powered craft had to be registered and had to display prominent identification their owners — like the owners of motor-vehicles — could be prosecuted if they refused to supply the name of the driver of the craft at the time an offence was alleged to have been committed. Registration of all small craft has been considered for some years. The need increases as the number of powered craft competing for space in sheltered waterways with swimmers and yachtsmen increases. Boats towing water-skiers, in particular, are frequent offenders against the regulations which provide that powered craft must not travel at more than 5 m.p.h. within 200 yards of the shore or when passing within 100 feet of another craft More than a year ago the then Minister of Marine (Mr Gordon) indicated that he w’ould favour a system of registration for powered pleasure craft, not only to assist in controlling offences, but also to help search and rescue operations at sea. His successor, the Minister of Transport (Sir Basil Arthur), said early this year that his department had much more pressing matters to consider; registration of power-boats was not high in the new Government’s priorities. That might have been reasonable last January; it should not apply any longer. Already another summer will go by before any scheme could be introduced. Many legitimate users of coastal waters are going to suffer inconvenience, and even injury, from dangerous power-boat drivers over whom virtually no control can be exercised. This is not a situation which a responsible Minister should allow to continue. It probably impinges directly — at least during the summer — on the well-being of more people than any other activity of the marine division of his department.