SHIPPING CONTROL

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3108, 12 June 1917, Page 6

SHIPPING CONTROL

NEW REGULATIONS GOVERNMENT TAKES IMPORTANT POWERS VESSELS NOT TO BE TRANSFERRED A very important set of War Regulations was made yesterday lor the control by the Government of the shiuping of the Dominion. The Milliliter of Marine (the Hon. 0. W. Uussell)' mado the following statement as to the purpose of the rejulations:— "Tho object of the regulations is to give the Government a close gric on tho shipping interests of this country, with, a view of preventing the transfer of vessels on our register to the registers of other countries, including Great Britain. There is keen competition at the prescDt time for tonnage throughout the whole world, and tho Government realises the importance of our maintaining intact the shipping trade of our Dominion, and emploving that shipping for those purposes that are directly necessary in the interests of tho country."

As will appear from (he following text of the regulations lliry ;ire extremely drastic in their provisions:—

In these regulations the term "New Zealand ship" means any British ship having its port of registry in Now Zealand.

Savo with the consent of the Minister of Marine, it shall not bo lawful to procure the transfer of the registry of a New Zealand ship to a port of registry out of New Zealand, or the removal of any such, ship from the register of British shipping, and all persons who in New Zealand are knowingly concerned in any such transfer or removal, or nttempted transfer or removal, shall be guilty of an offence against these regulations, and shall be liable accordinely.

Save with the consent of the Minister of Marine, it shall not be lawful to sell or transfer, or agree to sell or transfer, or to mortgage or neree to mortgage, any New Zealand ship or auy share therein, and all persons who in New Zealand are knowiuxlv concerned in any such sale, transfer, mortgage, or agreement, whether it takes placo in "New Zealand or elsewhere, shall be sulity of an offence against _theeo regulations, aud shall be liable accordingly. Snvo with the consent of the Minister of Marine, it shall not bo lawful to grant a charter of any New Zealand ship other than a ship which, has not at any time within twelve months before the date of the charier been engaged in trading in or -with Now Zealand, and all persons who in New Zealand are knowingly concerned in the grant of anv such charter, whether wanted in New Zealand or elsewhere, shall be guilty of an offence against these regulations, nnd shall be liable accordingly.

It*shall not be lawful for am- 3W Zealand ship to leave New Zealand for any place Wvond tho sens, or to leave a proclaimed port (as hereinafter define!) for any other port or place in New /.Miami, except in •mirsn.ince of a Ifceiiso issued in that behalf by the ill mister of Marino, and everv person who in New Zealand U ltnowindy eonoerned in any such departure of a New Zealand shin. ?avo in mirsunnce of such a license, shall bo , guilty o f an offence arrainst those regulations, and shall bo llablf aocordincrlv.

. Anr such license as aforesaid mav be issued on such forms as to the vovnee or employment of the ship as the Minister of Marino think* fit, and ma y he panted ether generally or in respect of nm specified voyatre or voynws, and rverv person who in New Zealand is Knowingly concerned m any breach of tho terms of such license, whether comkm I l'" •?«"' Zw,land or elsewhere, tI" be *l"! Uy ot an o'fenee against icwrdinX ,OM, aUU ehaU k0 liaMe Every eucL/ license shall be revocable at tho will of tho Minister of Marine Ao certificate of clearance shall be granted under the Customs Act, 1913 to any ship-in respect 01 , any vovW in broach cif this regulation. " In this regulation the term "proclaimed porf means any port of entry in I'm f i, n -V'll (CT tho Customs' Act, 1.U.1, to which this regulation has been applied by the Minister of Marine by notice published by him in the Gazette an nL ' tlme in force. . Iho Minister of Marine may accordingly by notice in the Gazette, from time to time declare that tliie regulation shall a.pply to all or any of such ports of entry, and lna y at aiiy time in like manner cancel or van- am* such notice.

Without the consent of the Minister of Man no it shall not be lawful for anv A en- Zealand ship which at the datft of these regulations is engaged in trailing in or with New Zealand to be withdrawn from that trade, whether permanently or temporarily; and every person who inNew Zealand is knowingly concerned iu any suck withdrawal, whether it takes place in New Zealand or elsewhere, shall be guilty of an offence against these regulations, and shall be liable accordingly. Such consent may be grunted subject to 6uch terms as to the employment of the ship as the Minister of Marine thinks fit, and if the ship is employed otherwise than in accordance with those terms, whether in New Zealand or every person who in New Zealand is knowingly concerned in such employment shall bo guilty' of an offence against these regulations, and shall bo liable ac-' cordingly.

Tt shall be the duty of every owner or charterer of a N&w Zealand ship, and of every servant or ngent of any such owner or charterer, to afford at all times to the Minister of Marine such information as he may demand as to the voyages, employment, or whereabouts of that ship, or otherwise with respect, to that ship; and every person who fails or refuses to give such information, or who wilfully givno any false information as to the matters aforesaid, shall be guilty of nil offence against these regulations, and shall be liable accordingly. Every person who deceives or attempts to deceive the Minister of Marine in the exercise of the authority conferred uiion him- by these regulations ehall be guilty of an' offence against these regulations, and shall be liable accordignly.

Nothing in these regulations shall in any manner revoke or affect any other War Regulations heretofore made and now in force relative to shipping.