INSPECTION OF YACHTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 12759, 9 January 1905, Page 6

INSPECTION OF YACHTS.

NEED OF LIFE-SAVING APPLIANCES. POWERS OF MARINE DEPARTMENT. [l'.Y TELECEAI'H. —OWX CORRESPONDENT.] Wellington, Saturday. The recent yachting disaster has revived the question whether there should not be s.me general inspection of yachts as to their seaworthiness and equipment with life-saving appliances. On this subject it is interesting to learn, on the authority of the Secretary for Marine, that as far back as the year 1895 the Department took action to compel the owners of yachts to equip their craft with lifebuoys and lifebelts. At that time public attention was directed to the question by an accident which occurred in Otago Harbour, and the Department drafted the following regulation:—'• Every yacht rnd every boat licensed to ply for hire in any harbour shall be provided with a lifebuoy or lifebelt for each person on board, provided that cork cushions may be substituted or partially substituted for lifebuoys or lifebelts if the harbourmaster certifies* as to the number of lifebuoys or lifebelts for which such cushions may be substituted." 1 his regulation was sent to the* harbour boards of tho colony, and thev were invited to obtain (lie views of the yachting clubs in regard to the proposed law. This was done, and the clubs were almost unanimous in opposing the regulation. They did so on the ground that-their own rules already stipulated that ample, appliances for saving liftshould be kept on board the vessels, and that it was therefore unnecessary for the Department to frame any such regulation he committee, of tho Port Nicholson Yacht Club, in replying to the circular letter, expressed the view thai it was unnecessary to include pleasure boats in the regulations, as all reasonable precautions had been taken pi their own regulations, and the danger inseparable from aquatic sports had not been lost sight of by the club. Realising from the*© replied that the proposed regulation wa, not wanted by that section of .he. .-ommimitv presumed to be most intimately concorned in the matter, the Government withdrew, having first examined the rules of the yachting duns ? Sec what precautions thev mended to enforce. The question now own!'",.' Si ?l i e ,h ° SO yachts controlled the owners o, which are not members of \aehtsuUetfn " d tU ° rC,>ly is that they are subject to no supervision at all. Mi VI S' Secretary for Marine, answering a ' onestion bj V:: limes' representative on "this point, admitted that under the existing law over Department , has absolutely "° pWnet- such vessels. It 13 true that if the Department « notified that anv par icular boat is unseaworthy, or that there is reason to suspect that such is (he case, the Depart™peohWrv? ta b ° at and *«tho3?e a the aw « 11' but th . 6r - 6 is "° Provision in and law for a general inspection of yachts, and if such a power were sought it' could | ActoTv i rV be department bv an Act of Parliament. Neither is there an'v power to survey coastal .ailing vessels a although these are required under\he Shipr B of C ! f b Q X y b ° atS " d a certain nui.