SHIPPING CASE.

Marlborough Express, Volume XLVI, Issue 264, 7 November 1912, Page 7

SHIPPING CASE.

SHIPMASTER'S OMISSION.

[PBBSS ASSOCIATION.] DUNEDIN, Nov. 6. A case of special interest to shipping circles was decided by Mr Wicldowson, S.M., this morning, when he gave his reserved decision in the case m which George M. Ruxton, master ot the ship Kaiapoi, was charged that, when leaving Lyttelton for the purpose of proceeding to sea, he failed to record the ship's draught of water and extent of freeboard on the official log book, and that he did, without reasonable cause, fail to produce such record to the Superintendent of Marine when required to.do so. The magistrate said that, though section 206 of the Act was not aptly arranged it was made clear by the light of the previous section. He held that sub-section 3 of section 206 held a mandate to the master to record certain particulars in the official log book. That being so the master had been guilty of a purely technical offence. The case would serve as a warning to shipmasters. Ruxton was convicted and ordered to pay the costs.