The Evening Mail. TUESDAY, DECEMBER 19, 1876.

Oamaru Mail, Volume I, Issue 207, 19 December 1876, Page 2

The Evening Mail.

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 19, 1876.

'• Wottb are and a «ln»|> of ink falling upon n Ihonjbt may prixlucc lint which makes tnouanib think."

Ik oar issue of yesterday we pointed out tf»e manner in which the lives of passengers are jeopardised by the action of the owners of vessels, courting as it were those calamities which have been of sncli frequency of late, and utterly disregardless of the escape of the unfortunates when the disasters take place. We are glad to see that the Yictorian Humane Society has bestirred itself in the matter, and that it is making efforts to induce the various Chambers of Commerce throughout the Colonies to co-operate with a view of securing uniform legislation in the matter of providing efficient life-preserving apparatus on board all ressds registered in Australasia. As the law stands at prese nt, it i 8 required merely that a sufficient number of boats and life-bonoys be provided to the tonnage, without the slightest refer, tnce to the number on board, so that no matter whet'ier she be a merchant vessel earring merchandise or be freighted with living cargo, and hundreds of human souls are depending fur dear life on her safety, a like provision fur the means of escape is made in both cases. With the s.td catalogue of marine disasters in mind, and the dreadful sacrifice of human life through the negket of the proper measures of escape, it is a matter for congratulation that the subject is now to receive the serious attention which it deserves, and that a conference of representatives from the various Colonies is to meet in Melbourne to frame regulations. The revelations disclosed by the agitation of Mr. PLEU3OLL has proved .that the accursed thirst for gold will cause a man to close his eyes to vcjry little short of murder for the sake of self-aggrandise-ment, &nd the numberless vessels which have gone to the bottom with their illfated crews have not cost their owners a pang when once convinced that the insurance was all right. We do not mean to assert that our colonial merchants have reached that pass, but it cannot be denied thai by the half-manned way in which vessels are sent to sea, very little care for the consequences is exhibited. As has been truly said by a correspondent to a Duncdin paper, "Can men of sound judgment imagine that two mates could do the duty of a vessel like the Otago, when they had to be on foot all day, and take their

watch an .1 watch during the night 1" The idea of sending a ship to sea with numerous passengers, w'lose lives aw dear to themselves and their immediate circle, und r the. c'mrga of officers who can hardly keep their eyes open from excessive fatigue, is quite in keeping with the habits of those who stand t j win, no matter what happens. However, as the subject has now b sn prominently brought forward, we trust that the Danedin C'lambar of Commerce will not only heartily entertain the question, but sand a representative to the Conference, and that the safety of vessels and t!ie live 3 and properties of passengers will be placed upon a different footing to that hitherto existing.