THE OTAGO DAILY TIMES WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 1904. THE MARINE DEPARTMENT'S REPORT.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 13078, 14 September 1904, Page 4

THE OTAGO DAILY TIMES WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 1904. THE MARINE DEPARTMENT'S REPORT.

TnE annual report of the Marine Department, being largely statistical, has not the general interest that most other reports of State departments possess. But the extent of the colony's coast lino aud its dependence on its shipping to maintain communication with the outside world give an importance to the functions of tho Marine Department which is not to be lightly estimated. Already the colony possesses a mercantile marine of which it has every reason to be proud, and one which, as trade and population increase, must be rapidly augmented with still more modern and up-to-date vessels. Daring the past 10 years there has not been much variation in the actual number of vessels entered and cleared annually, but the tonnage has almost doubled, while tho strength of the crews required to work them has increased by one-third. Another noticeable feature about our oversea shipping is that the proportionate increase in the tonnage of foreign vessels is larger than that of vessels of British and colonial registry. Possibly it has been noticed by many of our readers that of recent years there have been a large number of sales of British-owned sailing vessels to Norwegian and other foreign buyers. It is admitted iu shipping circles that sailers in the hands of foreign owners, working under less .stringent shipping laws, are as a rule able to compete with steam tonnage and show a profit where the British owner of sail tonnage is hardly able to pay expenses. The greater portion of the report under review, however, is concerned with the coastal shipping, ami one cause for satisfaction is the absence of serious maritime casualties during the year. The colony lost nine vessels completely, representing a tonnage of 3022 tons, as compared with seven vessels, of 5173 tons, wrecked during tlie previous year. Only 14 lives were lost during 1903-4, as compared with 79 in 1902-3. The chief loss recorded last year was'that of the Chatham Islands trader Toroa, which foundered with all hands on board. The report also refers "to tho new regulations for the provisioning of ships' boats, which bring them into conformity with those issued by. the Imperial Board of

"trade,,hudmake, it impossible for castaways to bo adrift ,on the sea without at least:several days' supply of provisions.; Each boat and raft on foreign and intercolonial vessels must now carry three days' supply of Svater for the persons it is certified to carry, fire days' supply of plasmon or ordinary biscuit, five days' supply of chocolate, and 4oz of. limejuico tabloids for each person. Lengthy reference is made in the report to the. routine work carried out by the Department in maintaining lighthouses and depots on outlying islands, the conservation of fisheries, etc. Happily the southern islands'havo not been responsible for auy serious casualties since the wreck of tho barque Spirit of the Dawn some years ago ; but vessels are liable to come to grief there at any time, and tho necessity for periodically visiting the depots is a duty which cannot be ignored. Tho efforts of tie Department to conserve the fisheries of the colony are also worthy of more than passing- notice. New regulations were recently published restricting the destruction of small and immature fish by tho steani trawlers, and last session it was made an offence for fishermen to destroy fresh fish fit for human consumption. The reason the law was amended in this direction was on account of a practice said to be in vogue of limiting the fish supply, for it was alleged that, rather than flood the market, some fishermen had no scruples about destroying what they regarded as the surplus portion of tho catch. The lights around tho coast cost £14,538 to maintain last year, the most costly being the Cape Marin Van Diemen light, whicli absorbed £800 lis sd. The next was the light on Puysegur Point, which cost £693 !)s 7d. In regard to the latter, wo think the time has come when the Department should consider tho advisability of connecting it witli tho telephone system. At present there can ho no advice of inward steamers coming through Foveaus Strait till they are picked up by the signal station at tho Bluff, but if communication were established with Puysegur Point persons interested in the arrival of a vessel could inform themselves of her approach some hours earlier than they can at present. A telephone at Puysegur Point would also be a great ■convenience to tho settlers at Preservation Inlet, and now that summer excursions arc becoming .so popula'r on that portion of the coast it is the more desirable that communication should be established with tho nearest centre of population.