THE NAVIGATION CONFERENCE

Grey River Argus, 25 April 1907, Page 3

THE NAVIGATION CONFERENCE

FURTHER PROCEEDINGS. IMPRISONMENT FOR DESERTION. LONDON, April 24. At the Navigation Conference Sir Wm. Lyne proposed to abolish impricommenit for desertion. He declared that he did not desire to place foreign ships in a better or worse position than British vessels/ Mr Norman Hill objected to the proposal. iSe.tmen were allowed to go free of forfeited wages ; yet, if a seaman proved/ undesirable shipowners were fined for leaving him behind. Mr Hughes interjected: "You are between the devil and the deepi sea, so there!" Ultimately on Mr Hughes' suggestion, tho motion was amended and carried a* follows -.—"That imprisonment for de**Mtion be abolished in the country .wbrre the seaman is engaged, except whore the seaman, after negotiating for an advance note, wilfully or through misconduct, fails to join his ship or deserts before the note is payable ; provided that in respsct to desertion from ships other than those registered in the Commonwealth or whose final port for the discharge of a crew is in the Common wealth, deserters shall be placed on such yes sels upon request by a competent authority or .that of the Consul in the 1 I case of foreign, and captain in the cose of British ships." The colonial delegates refused to accept Mr Hill's rider providing that if . imprisonment for desertion be abolished, the shipowner be relieved of the responsibility for the repatriation of the deserter, and relieved of any State pen j ally. The Conference adjourned to the 29th inst.