STEAMERS' EQUIPMENTS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2842, 2 September 1908, Page 40

STEAMERS' EQUIPMENTS.

COMIC OPERA PROSECUTION. (Fbom Our Own Correspondent.) AUCKLAND, August 27. One of those comic opera cases, arising out of the undue pressing of the letter instead of the spirit of legislation, was before Mr C. C. Kettle, S.M., in the Police Court yesterday. Charles Christopher Davis, of Mercer, Mas charged on the information of the Marine Department, represented by Mr Mayes, with allowing the steamship' Dot to proceed on a voyage -without first providing it with life-saving appliances. Mr A. E. Skelton appeared for the defendant, and in entering a plea of " Guilty ' he stated that the Dot, which name by the way was evidently descriptive x of the size of the boat, was a launch with a 20ft over all. It was fitted up with a half-horse-power engine, wliich took up one-third of the boat's space, and was used for duck shooting purposes. The department said that it mint be fitted up with lifebelts, buoys, and a lamp. "It appears to me," remarked Mr Skelton. "that this is climbing to the realms of comic opera, for the boat is tied up to a tree at Mercer for the greater part of the year. — (Laughter.) The boat will now accommodate six passengers, but if it ie fitted up with these accessories I think that it will be able to carry only half that number, and they will have to dangle their legs over the" sides. Mr Kettle : Of course the whole question is: Is the Dot a steamship? Mr Skelton : She travels about five miles a year, but unfortunately we have to admit that she is a steamship. Mr Mayes in saying that it wa-s necessary that such boats should be fitted with life-saving appliances, recalled an incident which haDpened last year, when a young man fell off a similar launch which had no life buoys at St. Helier's Say and was drowned. The Dot wae« used in the early hours of the morning, and if she were proceeding up stream and struck a snag serious consequences might result. Mr Kettle: She apparently has struck a snag. — (Laughter.) The defendant, continued Mr Maves, had been instructed to have iiis boat attended to, but had not done so. The maximum penalty for the offence was £100. Hi« Worship said that no doubt the case was taken as a warning to lot owners know that steamships must carry life Gaving appliances. No doubt Davis had thought the matter a joke, and had thus neglected to have the boat fitted up. He would be fined 10s and costs.