TO SAFEGUARD LIFE

Evening Post, Volume CVIII, Issue 45, 21 August 1924, Page 6

TO SAFEGUARD LIFE

WIRELESS ON ALL .SHIPS

DEPUTATION TO MINISTER OF MARINE.

. With a view to urging the Government to amend the legislation along lines which would make it compulsory for every vessel, whether making a coastal or a foreign passiige, to be equipped with wireless, a deputation representing all classes of seafaring men waited upon tho Minister of Marine (Hon. G. J. Anderson) last evening. The deputation was introduced by Mr. P Eraser, M.P.

At the outset, the Minister made it clear that the Government was sympathetic in the matter, and for this reason he asked' tho speakers to be as brief and concise as possible without labouring the^ point. ON ALL SHIPS. Mr. T. .Young, representing the "Sea-' men's Union, of which he is -secretary; expressed his pleasure in learning that the Government was sympathetic towards the proposal. What he would like to know was, would the Government's sympathy go so far as to the extension of wireless to all ships? The Minister: i'You want it on all .ships, irrespective of size? Well, that's your first point." A suggestion was then put forward by Mr. Young, tnafc section £0 of the Shipping and Seamen Amendment Act, .1809, should be amended so as to provide that: . "(a) Every foreign-going ship, New Zealand trade ship, or ship engaged in the coastwise trade of New Zealand, shall, before going to sea from any port in New Zealand, be equipped with an_ efficient apparatus for wireless communication, in good working order, (b) The apparatus shall be capable of transmitting and receiving messages over a, distance of at leas v t 200 miles, day. or night, inclusive of a silent chamber for the reception of messages, and shall be operated by one or more' persons, holding prescribed certificates of skill in the use of such apparatus, (c) Until it is possible to amend section 50 of the Act, the regulations providing for the equipment of ships with wireless be amended so as to.give immediate effectto paragraphs.(a) and (b)." It was proposed, said the speaker, to make legislation on this point mandatory. "In our opinion, as men having had practical experience of. seafaring life," he continued, "'wireless telegraphy is essential on board all vessels that have power to operate it. Since wireless has been installed on ships, quite a number of vessels have been saved by means of it.". In conclusion, Mr. Young expressed the hope that the Minister, in the interests of the seafaring community and the travelling public, would see his way clear to have the legislation amended in the direction uroposed. . l WIRELESS AS A SUBJECT. According to Captain F. A. Macindoe, the Merchant Service Guild took up this question in 1917, and again in 1922 a deputation was made in regard to the same matter. The proposal was for all | vessels to be equipped with wireless, and they had asked that the question be brought up, again in 1920. He thought it would be a very wise step to have wireless made a subject in officers' cxaminaI tions.

The Minister remarked that he had al--1 ready made up his mind to do this, and as a matter of fact, had held a preliminary meeting in regard to the proposal -Lhe secretary of the Cooks' and Stew, ards Union, Mr. E. 'Kennedy, said lie was glad to hear the Government was sympathetic," but the point was, how lar would that sympathy extend "We will watch you very closely," he warned amid laughter, "and. wo will tell you if you are not going tar enough." s Peak'ng on behalf of marine engineers Mr W. Sommerville endorsed all that had been said in favour of the general installation of wireless on ships. It was a great insurance. A DESIRABLE MOVE. _ This matter of wireless, said the Minister hftd been taken up by him some considerable time ago. Captain Maeindoe, with the members of his guild revived the question quite recently, and it was. a very desirable move he suggested in the way of including wireless as a subject m the examinations for master's licenses. -

Mr. Young: "Will that mean that deck officers will be required to operate the wireless? • ■■

TO CALL A CONFERENCE.

The Minister replied that Mr. Youn^ was just a little previous. In the fu^ ture, he predicted that wireless would be used not only for the safety but'also for the navigation of ships. He quite agreed with the remarks of the speakers that-it would be ideal to have the wireless watched for twenty-four hours, but they could not expect to get anything like this on the very small vessels. The-" must be practical, as well as sympathetic. His idea was that if wireless were installed m all vessels trading alon" the coast and carrying passengers, and if something better was secured than was provided by the British regulations, then a very forward step would be made in the right direction. They had had a preliminary discussion, and the Minister hoped that he would soon be able to call a conference of the various interests involved m the matter, when beneficial regulations could be framed ■

AN ADDITIONAL SAFEGUARD.

It had "boon suggested that as an additional precaution for the safety of ships all vessels should be equipped with twin screws,, and ■■ those in regard to. which this was not possible, should bo'obliged to carry -canvas. The Minister said he thought this would be a great safeguard My- Young: "Of course it would." fhe Minister continued that he was going to invite representatives to meet him within two weeks. He had to consider the-matter from all points of view but he assured the deputation that if he could not secure the ideal, he would get the "next thing to it." They were discussing something which wa s not in existence in any other part of the world and they had to work-in a practical way! He had hoped, he said, in conclusion that the system might be telephony, not telegraphy, but he had learned that this would not be in accord with the national agreements.