NAUTICAL INQUIRY.

Evening Star, Issue 12899, 23 August 1906, Page 8

NAUTICAL INQUIRY.

DECK CARGO PERMITS. v '-v ■. ; .,. AUCKLAND, August 25. The nautical inquiry into the wrecks of the ketch Sir Henry, the auxiliary schooner Aotea, and the schooner Haeremai, supposed to be wrecked, was continued yesterday., Mr C. C. Kettle, S.M., presided. Mr Rose (Collector of Customs) stated that for the twelvemonths ended .August 21, 1906, there were seventy special deck cargo licenses issued at Auckland, twenty annual special licenses, and twenty-six annual or general or ordinary licenses. Tho Shipping and Seamen Act of 1903 provided that the term "deck" meant the ordinary upper part of the ship. Deck licenses wero not issued to scows, which did -not have holds for cargo, and deck licenses wero issued at any port at which therj> was a Custom-house. Mr Kettle: Did you make any inquiries from other ports? Mr Rose: . Vessels plying within restricted limits are exempt under the regulations. For Auckland the limits are a straight line from Cape Colvillo to Bream Head. Mr Kettlo: All these vessels aro going outside that? Witness: Yes, on that particular occasion. ■' Mr Kettle: They had no right to carry deck cargo? Mr Rose: No. Mr Kettle: The question is did vessels carry deck cargo without permits, and if they did, are there sufficient officers hero to see that the Act is carried out? Mr Rose: The officers have other duties to attend to, which they aro told off for, so that there is no time "for them to attend to these outside matters. What is wanted, to my mind, is a nautical man to be told off and to bo always attending to that work. It is impossible for Captain Fleming to do it. In the case of this vessel I said "That vessel is overloaded," but shortly afterwards (the same day, I think it was) she went into the stream, and capsized with a load of drain pipes. In ordinary business it would bo impossible to enforce the regulations without impeding traffic. Very much of the traffic here is owing to the want of roads and internal communication, and all goods must go by water. It is a terrible detriment to settlers for vessels to be hampered so much. Mr Kettle: In your opinion are there sufficient competent and reliable officers in Auckland whose duty it is to see tnat tho provisions of tho law are carried out? Mr Rose: I liave no complaint to make about our people here, but I say the Customs staff is not sufficient. There should bo another man. Mr Kettle asked a question as to the position of the load line on the ship. Mr Rose: That is done by competent men—tho superintendent of mercantile marine and his assistants. Mr Kettle: I understand tic suggestion you make is that a thoroughly competent, independent man should be appointed to see to all theso matters of overloading and deck cargo? Mr Rose: Yes; it is impossible for the superintendent of mercantile marine to bo in all places at tho samo time. Mr Kettle: The suggestions will be considered. These regulations are only coming to light when great casualties" occur, and then it is found something should be done. Tho question is: Should not those things have been seen to long ago? These three vessels left with deck cargo. Mr Rose : It seems so to me. We have evidence that the Aotea discharged some cargo at Waipiro Bay. Mr Kettle: None or these vessels had deck cargo permits from this port? Mr Rose: No. Mr Kettle : Was it not the duty of some officer to see that the deck cargo permits were produced before they left port? Mr Rose: No. Mr Kettle: Then this may happen : vessels, scows, and other small craft can go out of the port systematically? Mr Rose: Barely that. Mr Kettle: And take deck cargo without a permit, and nobodv sav anything about it? . .... a Mr Rose: It is quito possible. It deponds on tho time of day she wont. Mr Kettle: We have three vessels here—— Mr Rose: They went out very early in tho morning. Mr Kettle: They should give some notice when their loading is complete, so that officers can go down and see them. Mr Rose: It is impossible for officers to be there all the time. Mr Kettle: I quite understand the difficulty. The question is How is it going to bo stopped? Mr Rose: It is not going on in wholesale manner. Very often deck cargo is a very good thing to tho vessel. Mr Kettle: That may be.. The law says there must be a permit.