INSPECTION OF VESSELS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 13890, 30 April 1907, Page 5

INSPECTION OF VESSELS.

AN AUCKLAND DEPUTATION,

IMPORTANT STATEMENT BY THE MINISTER OF .MARINE.

(I'er Ukited Pkkss Association.)

AUCKLAND, April 29. A deputation of residents of the marine suburbs interviewed the Hon. J. A. Millar to-day and urged the necessity of the u looking carefully into the matter of inspecting the ferry steamers,' somo of which have been miming in Auckland for over oO years, and according to the certificates are seaworthy. It was slated that nearly all these steamers are licensed to carry as many passengers as an ocean liner. Some carried over a thousand.

Mr Millar said that the loss of the To Aroha. came as a shock to more than tho Auckland residents. Hitherto the inspection of vessels in New Zealand had been known throughout Australasia to he most drastic. Masters and engineers of foreigngoing vessels had stated that they would prefer the Board of Trade inspection. Tho steamer Surrey, a targe Home-going vessel, whicli was allowed to leave the Old Country and come here via Australia, was detained on her arrival at Wellington and prohibited from leaving unlil new furnaces were fitted. She was now at Port Chalmers, and it would bo three months from tho day of her suspension until sho was able to go away again, the owners having had to send to England for new furnaces. Steamers coining from England for the Union Company had had certificates from Lloyd's showing that their boilers wore allowed to reach a certain pressure, but tho New Zealand inspector had worked out the boiler pressure again, and found that tho pressure allowed by Lloyd's was not allowed here, and the pressure was reduced, notwithstanding that, tho vessels had just arrived from tho Old Country. In Auckland, ho understood that some shipowners wore preserving the plates that were ordered to bs cut out of their vessels, so as to support their contention that the plates condemned by the Marino. Department were actually sound. Up to tho To Aroha casualty he had no reason to doubt that the inspection of vessels in Auckland was of a thorough character. Hut he knew that there was considerable alarm in the minds of the people, and to allay this ho hail asked Mr Duncan, tho Chief Inspector of Machinery, after a brief visit to Wellington, to return to Auckland and make a personal inspection of every one of tho steamers of tho older class, both wood and iron, trading in Auckland Harbour. That insjieclion would be commenced within 10 or 1+ days, and Mr Duncan would report individually oil every steamer and what r.opairs he thought necessary for each, if any. 110 could assure tlicni, as far as the department was eoneorncd, nothing would be wanting to see that vessels wero seaworthy. It was very hard for an outsider to say whether a ship was seaworthy and even with a qualified man a certain portion might escapo his notice. It was impossible to tap every rivet and find out if it was sound, and one weal: link would break the whole chain, and that defect might not be disco\ered until after. He did not think that should be put down altogether as imperfect inspection, because no matter what, system was adopted, it was absolutely impossible to find out, whether every part of a ship was sound. One could only take the part most likely to' bo damaged, parts where tho greatest strain exisled, and watch them from time to time. He thought that after Mr Duncan had made' bis inspection they would find that any repairs required would be carried out and the boats made as seaworthy as, possible. Instructions would be given that when hulls wero of wood the inspector might call in a competent, shipwright to advise him. Thus they troukl see tho department was endeavouring to see that, the boats would bo put right if wrong, and kept right afterwards. He trusted that the feeling of alarm which had arisen would bo allayed, and that the deputation would have no causc t'o bo alarmed in the future.