A SERIOUS HARDSHIP.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 211, 30 May 1908, Page 14

A SERIOUS HARDSHIP.

1 THE BRIGANTINE ARATAPU. DELATED FOR WANT OF. A SECOND i MATE. [BI TELEGRAPH.—SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.J ; -.- ' ' Chrlstchurch, May 29., It is -bow over a week since t-ho brigantine 'Aratapu was ' ready for . sea, but - tho littlo vessel, laden with produce and perishable x ' cargo, is still lying in tho stream at L'yttel- . ton, delayed" for, want of a second ■ mate. I >.'■ • Meanwhile' several " fair winds " have been : ' lost, and other schooners, just under the 100-. • ton limit imposed by the' clause in tHo'_Shipping'and Seamen Act; which have arrived in port siuee the Aratapu was ready for sea; hare discharged,'loaded, and leftpprtagain. The Aratapu,' 'which' is a'few'.tons 'over tho' 100-ton limit, is required to carry'; in addition •V:-v to the master and'-"sailors =,two certificated, y. 'mates for..tho trip toKaipara, which is over' 300 miles' ; from ■ Lyttelton, while, other" - schooners, even-if they measure 99 tons';;oho --. ton underlie limit,.,may go to sea and sail any distance round "the coast 'without any• certificated' mates at all,: the masters being the only mem on board required to hold certi-; ficates. The owner ' arid the .master; iof .tho ' ■ Aratapu have tried all the chief ports-in-'tho : . colony for. a second; mate without success, '; and meanwhile tho vessel, loaded ' with a cargo valued at several hundred pounds, is i . lying ' idle in port, with wages,- insurance, ■.. and .other expenses running on'. It is "urged that in a'case like that of the Aratapu a permit- should-be granted for her to sail for • tho trip with, say, an cxtra A.D., the vessel . having already a master, mate, and full complement of sailors.