DANGER FROM SMOKING.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20599, 25 June 1930, Page 15

DANGER FROM SMOKING.

VEHICULAR FERRY SERVICE. COMPANY SEEKS PROHIBITION. Smoking on tlie vehicular ferries is causing much concern to the directors of the Devon port Steam Ferry Company, according to a letter from the company which came before the Auckland Harbour Board yesterday, asking that a bylair should be enacted prohibiting smoking on those vessels. The danger of a fire being caused, with disastrous consequences, was pointed out. Attempts had been made to prevent smoking, but unfortunately it had become well-known that the company was powerless to stop it. The opening of benzine tanks should also be included in tiny prohibitory measure adopted. The board's solicitors gave an opinion that the matter was one which should be dealt with by a genera! harbour regulation and not by by-law. The general harbour regulations were now being consolidated and amended and they contained a clause prohibiting smoking on vehicular ferries while vehicles were on boardThe board decided to ask the Marino Department to take the earliest opportunity of dealing with the matter, *by issuipg a new regulation rather than waiting for tho consolidation to bo completed. A matter concerning the passenger ferries was brought up in a letter from the town clerk, Devonport, asking that improvements should bo effected to the passenger gangway at the Devonport Wharf in order to reduce crushing at the entrance when passengers were disembarking. The chairman, Mr. M. H. Wynyard, said the crushing was apparently due to people hurrying lo get the best seats in jhe buses. The board had provided a 9ft. gangway, which was larger really than that in" use at the city wharf, where no difficulty occurred. The engineer and traffic manager were called on to report.