SHIPPING AND SEAMEN'S ACT AMENDMENT BILL.

Evening Post, Volume XLVI, Issue 23, 27 July 1893, Page 4

SHIPPING AND SEAMEN'S ACT AMENDMENT BILL.

TO THE EDITOR. Sib— The Shipping and Seamen's Act Amendment Bill, which passed its second reading on the 7th instant, is a most important measure, as prejudicially affecting the commerce and mercantile marine of this colony. Tho schedule of this Bill provides for steamers of certain tonnages carrying additional men, and providing increased acconiodation for the creu s. As show ng what this will amonnt to per annum, I will take the case of tho steamer Stormbird, a vessel engaged in tbe passerger aud carrying trade betweon this po:t and Wanganni for the past 30 years, during which time she has carried thousands nf passengers and hun•lrt ds of thousand- of lons of cargo, withont loss of life or serious accident, and, as far as I am aware, without complaint of her crow regarding overwork or defectivo accommodation. She, being over 100 tons rocister would, according to tho Bill, require to carry one Additional fireman (sho has carried two for 30 years) and two additional deck hands (she has carried four for 30 years) She would also require to givo up 12 tons of her cargo-carrying space for additional accommodation of her crew. The total extra annual expenses proposed to be put on her owners would be as follows : — One fireman at .£!> per month .. £108 0 0 Providoring same at £3 3s 9d ... 38 5 0 Two extra deck hands at £1 each 168 0 0 ProvidoringßaraeatJ.33s9deach 76 10 0 Average oveit'me of vessel to these 3 additional men at 30s each per month ... 54 0 0 Making a total annual addit onal cash payment for this one steamer of .. .. .£441 15 0 To which must be added loss of cargo space 12 tons, two trips per week, at 10b per ton, .£624; bo that in the case of the Stormbird the total extra annual expenditure and loss would be -81063 15s, exclusive of the additional cost of boats and life-saving apparatus for the additional men. This increase will apply to all steamers in >~ ew Zealand of tbe same description as the htormbird, which are mostly employed on from 12 to 13 hours' runs, and as these vessels have not for some time been paying their owners, it is obvious if this Bill is allowed to pass that it must involve one of two thingp — 1, laying up the vessels ; or, 2, reduction in wages to an amount equivalent to any increased expenditure or loes occasioned by this measure. It may be suggested that freights should be increased, but railway competition will not admit of this being done. There are a number of clauses in the Bill that must add to the yearly cost of management. For instance, if one of tho crew after Castom Hooae bonra find* that from illness or other cause, he is unable to proceed to sea, the vessel must be detained until tho Custom House opens next day. At present tho crews on vessels engaged in the Home trade may Bign articles on board the ship. This has been found to work satisfactorily. As time is money, especially with steamers, it is impossible to estimate what the cost of such detention would amount to. I am, Ac , Thomas Gal*. Wellington, 26th July, 18U3.