Control of liquor in ships queried

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33693, 16 November 1974, Page 1

Control of liquor in ships queried

(N.Z. Press Association) TIMARU, November 15. The New Zealand Shipping Corporation will try to clarify laws regarding drinking aboard ships in New Zealand ports.

On Wednesday, Superintendent B. K. Dean of the Timaru police condemned the trend of young people going aboard ships in port after town bars had closed. These people, he said, included under-age drinkers. Mr Dean cited the case of several teen-agers leaving a corporation vessel the NZ Waitangi, in a drunken state early one morning this month.

The general manager of the corporation, Mr G. H. Speight, has offered to warn corporation vessels of rules regarding control of liquor in ships.

He will also advise head offices of overseas companies of New Zealand licensing

laws affecting vessels in New Zealand ports. Mr Dean has asked Mr Speight to control liquor better and make sure crew members are aware of the laws. Mr Speight said copies of

the requests would be sent to all corporation ship masters and to all companies sending ships to New Zealand. Mr Dean said he thought it would be folly to disestablish ships bars now, and he did not quarrel with their use by seamen or genuine guests. “It appears that similar problems exist around the country and not only in Timaru and I am sure that if a little more responsibility was shown by masters and support shown by company policy, then the problem would abate,” said Mr Dean. Mr Dean said that the use of search warrants to examine crew quarters would be embarrassing to all concerned but if the problem was overlooked then there was a strong possibility of a serious offence occurring. Shipping company managers in Wellington were asked about bar control re- . gulations. Some thought licensing laws applied, some Customs Act regulations only, land some thought the captain ; lhad sole control and interpretation of the law.