CARGO OF LOGS

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 136, 10 June 1924, Page 8

CARGO OF LOGS

LOADING ON THE KITTAWA

SHIPPING COMPANY FINED.

A prosecution of interest to shipping concerns was heard before Mr. W. G. Riddel], S.M., in the Magistrate's Court to-day; when' the -Labour Department (represented by Mr. J. Jackson) proceeded against the Union Steam Ship Co. of New Zealand, claiming £10 for an alleged breach of the New Zealand Seamen's and . Firemen's Award.

Tke v facts as . outlined by Mr. Jackson were that the steamer Kit'tawa was loaded at Grafton (Auckland) with logs and squared timber, and sailed for New Plymouth. She put into port at Wellington on the 27th March, 1924, and on ths receipt of a complaint from the Seamen's Union, in company with the secretary of the union, he visited the ship, and found that the deck cargo of timber on the port and starboard sides of the after part of the ship was stowed higher than the rail; and the cargo was not stowed from beam to beam with a smooth surface as far as was reasonably practicable for the crew to walk on, .as required by clause 43 of tltf. award.. The usual life-net • was stretched along from rigging to rigging to guard against any seaman falling overboard. ' If the seamen attempted to walk on the unevenly laid logs with a heavy sea rolling, they would run a grave risk of getting their limbs broken.

Appearing for the Union . Company," Mr. C. G. White'said that owing to the unevenness of the logs it must necessarily follow that it would be' practically impossible, to stow the logs of even size' and straightness, so that there would be an even surface to walk on. The company admitted the breach in respect in the logs coming above the ship's rail.: .The master, however, saw that everything was perfectly safe from a point of view of saving life. If any complaint had been made to the captain, somo of tile cargo could have been tnkeii out and the logs placed below. The ship had 67 tons of cargo on deck, whereas she was licensed to carry 99 tons. The logs had been urgently' required by the Southland Electric Power Board, and it was only to complete the order that the captain had been persuaded to take them. Counsel . contended the breach was not. as serious as if the logs had been loaded on the forward Bart, where th» crew passed and repassed each day. The Magistrate remarked that there was no doubt that a breach of the award had been committed. Defendant was fortunate that no heavy weather had been experienced. "I think a nominal penalty will be sufficient in this case. Judgment for plaintiff for £2."