SETTLERS' LAUNCHES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 19040, 10 June 1925, Page 10

SETTLERS' LAUNCHES.

SURVEY REQUIREMENTS. POSITION OF DEPARTMENT. A REPLY TO CRITICISM. [BY TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT.] WELLINGTON, Tuesday. Reference was made to-day by the Minister for Marine, the Hon. G. J. Anderson, to criticism in Auckland regarding the action of his department in requiring settlers' launches to be surveyed.- He stated he was also aware that an endeavour was being made to turn the action which had been taken to political advantage by declaring that the Government was endeavouring to ruin the settlers. A very great deal of misrepresentation had occurred, ai}d a lot of nonsense had been talked. The Minister said he was not aware of any owner of a launch having been prosecuted for carrying his, own goods; and the department had no wish to do so except in cases where it had reason to bolicvo the settlor was not only carrying his own goods, but also carrying other goods for some reward. The case which had been- prosecuted Was that of a vessel which had beea surveyed and was authorised to passengers in the . Auckland extended river limits, roughly within the greater portion of the Hauraki Gulf and the Waitemata Harbour. This vessel was prosecuted for making some 50 trips from the east coast of the Coromandel Peninsula in to Auckland. The actual prosecution was for plying in waters beyond which the vessel was certificated to travel on a voyage, and there was little doubt she was carrying other settlers goods for hire. Outline of Requirements.

The requirements of the law in regard to launches had existed at least since 1909) and th,ey provided as follows: If a vessel be tinder six tons (and practically all these vessels arc under six tons) and carries passengers or Roods for hire, sho must be surveyed annually and must carry an officer either with a certificate as master or oil engineer relative to the limits in which she is authorised to ply. If such a vessel does hot carry passengers or freight I'or hire, but nevertheless carries freight, that is, the owner's own goods, she is required to be surveyed annually, but is not required to carry a certificated man in charge. Her annual survey certificate would prescribe the limits within which she could ply.

The newspaper cuttings had reference particularly to the Coromandel Peninsula, and in order to meet the situation there and enable the settlers to get their own goods to a port on the peninsula where they could be picked up by an ordinary trading vessel, special limits were prescribed, and all that was necessary was that tho vessel should be surveyed. . The legal opinion quoted indicated that any vessol having a survey certificate must have .one. for home trade to enable it to leave the shore, said the Minister. This entirely incorrect. The ''city solicitor" w,as apparently • unaware of the prescription of river limits aind extended river limits. When a vessel was presented for survey, it was for the purpose of enabling her to obtain a* certificate to ply either, in river limits, extended river limits, or home trade. The surveyor, when examining the vessel, considers, having regard to! her sions and seaworthiness, what limits it is safe for her to ply in, and she receives a certificate accordingly. Cost of the Certificates.

A home trado certificate enabled a vessel to ply anywhere round the coast of New Zealand, and clearly a six,-ton vessel was not a safe vessel to carry passengers or goods'anywhere round the coast, of New Zealand. "The certificates which were issued for " this "class of vessel were; therefore,' -as : a rule, for either river limits or extended river limits. The survey certificate for , this class of vessel, cost 30s per annum, the _ Minister added, and he had no hesitation in saying that it was well worth the owner's while to pay this amount in order to have his vessel annually examined as to condition by an expert surveyor. The department's officers had come across cases where a vessel .had been surveyed for the first time, and where her condition was such as to be an absolute menace to (he owner's life and property. It could not be seriously argued that the payment of 30s annually for a valuable and . expert service was going to cripple settlers. No alteration could, however, be made in the present conditions until an .amendment of the statute law was made. It was well -known that the agitation came from two sources, firstly, those who had been, and desired to go on, I carrying goods and even passengers for hii'e without complying with the requirements of the law, and* secondly, those who were trying to'turn the whole matter into a political attack on the Government, ' '