MARINE DEPARTMENT

Otago Daily Times, Issue 17083, 15 August 1917, Page 5

MARINE DEPARTMENT

t O ANNUAL REPORT. (From Oub Own Cohbespondent.) WELLINGTON, August 14. The report of the Marine Department for 1916-17 was laid on the table of the House this afternoon. It states that on December 31 there were on the register 190 sailing vessels, of 21,853 registered tonnage, and 390 steamers, of 70.44Z tonnage. Tbo numbers at the end of the previous year were:— 196 sailing vessels,' of 21,762 registered tonnage, and 385 steamers of 71,695 registered tonnage. The number of seamen and boys ou board was 3520, as compared with 3i>S6 at the end of 1915. During the year the casualties* on v or near the coasts of the dominion were 54 vessels, of 25,484 tons, and the number of lives lost was 14, as compared with one in the previous year. ' Tho Chief Inspector of Machinery reports' that freezing' works have almost doubled in numbers during the last two years, and in the later additions where electric power can be reasonably secured it has been adopted for driving purposes. The storage capacities at nearly all tho old works have been increased and additions made to machinery. The labour saving devices adopted and the methods of handling the material are quite a revelation. Hie Imperial Government recently suggested that the attainment and maintenance of uniformity in tho examinations of masters and mates throughout the British dominions would be greatly facilitated' if arrangements could be made from time to time for some of tho examiners in aIL of the self-governing dominions where such examinations are held to visit Britain to study the methods adopted in the Board of Trade examinations and the system by which they are co-ordinated. Tho matter has been considered by the 'Government, and it has been decided to send Captain William Whiteford to England for the purpose.