LOAD LINE SUBMERGED

Dominion, Volume 19, Issue 77, 24 December 1925, Page 3

LOAD LINE SUBMERGED

ANOTHER CAPTAIN FINED A WARNING TO SHIPOWNERS "Shipowners must note that penalties in these cases will be increased unless the law is complied with,” remarked Air. E. Page, S.M., in fining Captain Binger van der Hagan, master of the oil-tanker Agwipond, £25, in the Magistrate's Court yesterday, on the charge of bringing his steamer into Wellington so loaded as to submerge in salt water the centre of the disc, indicating the load line. Mr. J. Prenderville, who represented the Marine Department, told the Magistrate that there had been _ several prosecutions under the Shipping and Seamen Act for similar offences, and steps were being taken to try to fix the maximum penalty at £lOOO. "In this case, vour Worship,” added Mr. Prenderville, “the vessel’s plimsoll mark was submerged one and a half inches. The defendant was also fined £25 in March last for a similar offence.” Mr. 11. !•’. O’Leary, who appeared for the master of the steamer, said that ships plying in American waters were not required to observe such regulations as British vessels. De fendant had loaded his ship at San Luis Obispo, California, and the captain had done his best to load it in a manner complying with the New Zealand law. Defendant said that every attempt had been made to arrive in port with the mark above water.