OIL FROM SHIPS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22342, 16 August 1934, Page 6

OIL FROM SHIPS

DISCHARGE BEYOND TERRITORIAL LIMIT AN INTERNATIONAL PROBLEM. (Per United Press Association.) WELLINGTON, August 15. The law relating to the discharge of oil from ships was briefly discussed in the House of Representatives to-day, when Mr H. G. R. Mason (Lab. member for Auckland Suburbs) asked the Minister of Marine whether he had noticed the recent newspaper references to the injury done to sea birds by the discharge of oil outside territorial waters, and whether he would promote legislation to remedy this mischief, which had been left outside the scope of our legislation* by very incomplete advice or a misconception as to the extent to which the authority of the Parliament of New Zealand could be made to extend? Mr Cobbe replied that the reports referred to had been perused and recorded in the Marine Department. The Government was advised that there was at present no constitutional power to enact legislation to prevent the discharge of oil from vessels outside territorial waters. The Oil in Territorial Waters Act, 1926, prohibited the discharge of oil into territorial waters and this legislation was very strictly administered, but it was admittedly insufficient effectively to cope with the evil.

The matter, which was a very important one, had engaged the attention of the Imperial and other Governments with a view to completing an international agreement on the subject. The Government was quite recently advised that endeavours were being made to have it discussed at the next assembly of the League of Nations with a view to taking appropriate preventive steps. The Government recognised the importance and seriousness of the question and would be glad to co-operate with other Governments in any remedial or preventive measures which might be agreed upon.