NAVIGATION CONFERENCE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 13455, 4 June 1907, Page 6

NAVIGATION CONFERENCE.

ITS SEVENTH MEETING. [FROM OTTR own CORRESPONDENT.] ". » - London, April 26. Last Monday the seventh meeting of the Navigation Conference took place at" the Foreign Office, the New Zealand representatives again attending. The following resolutions were adopted: — ' 1. Workmen's Compensation: "That the adoption of uniform legislation is desirable with a view to extend the benefits of the Workmen's - Compensation Acts to seamen, as has been already done in the United Kingdom and New Zealand." The representatives of the British shipownei|h dissented, and recorded the view that somJlsystem of compulsory insurance for seamen should be adopted. ' 2. Load Line:" That the Commonwealth adopt the provisions of the" New Zealand Act regarding load line. The Imperial delegates abstained from voting, on the ground that as the New Zealand Act gives no power to alter the Board of Trade mark imposed on any ship the matter appeared one for the decision of the Commonwealth Government. ■ 3. Desertion: " That imprisonment for desertion be abolished in the 'country in which the seaman is engaged, except in the case of a seaman who, ; after negotiating his advance note, wilfully or through misconduct, fails to join his ship or deserts before the note is payable. : Provided that, in respect to desertion from ships other than those(a) registered in the Commonwealth; (b) whose •final port of discharge of the crew •is in the Commonwealth,;deserters shall be placed on board such vessels : upon request* by comj petent authorityin the case of a foreign I vessel the ' Con sul of / that country; " in the case of a British ship the captain." Sir W. Lyne' was not present when this resolution was passed, and ;it may, therefore, have to be reconsidered. ,

The representatives of the British shipowners moved the following rider, which was not accepted by the colonial, delegates: —"Provided that, if imprisonment for desertion is abolished, the shipowner be relieved from all responsibility for the repatriation of a deserter, and that no penalty be imposed on the shipowner by the State in which the deserter is left for leaving such deserter behind." * V; ■'''/. ' . ' V; : -\ 4. Wireless Telegraphy :. "That the desirableness of the provision on board ships carrying : passengers of an apparatus for transmitting messages by means of wireless telegraphy should be taken into consideration by the Board of Trade and the Australian and New Zealand Governments." A discussion also took place with regard to each of the following subjects :—Engagement of seamen, requirement that vessels should be fitted with watertight compartments, and service qualifications for engineers' , certificates, but no resolutions were adopted on these subjects. _, The Conference then adjourned for a week.