POLITICAL NOTES.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 10536, 10 August 1912, Page 6

POLITICAL NOTES.

[Fiiom Ora Oorxbspokotot.] TITANIC LESSONS. WELLINGTON, August 10. The lessons of the Tltanio disaster are evident in an amendment of the Shipping and Seamen Act, introduced by the Hon F. M. B. Fisher* Minister of Marine, and read a first time yesterday. Under a penalty of £SO for neglect of the provision, the Bill stipulates that the master of ©very intercolonial or Home trade ship shall cause his crew to be properly exercised in boat drill at times to be specified by regulation, and an officer of the Marine Department or Customs has the right to do present or to inspect the entries regarding boat drill, which will have to be made in the official log. The master or person in charge of a ship shall, so far as he can do so without serious danger to his-own ship, her crew and passengers, if any, render assistance to ©very person, even if such person is a subject of a foreign State at war with his Majesty, who is found at sea in danger of being lost, and, if he fails to do so, he commits a crime. The liability of shipowners to make good any loss or damage, or to compensate individuals for personal injuries sustained through collisions, is more specifically defined, than in previous statutes, and there is a saving clause providing that if, having regard to all the circumstances of the case, it is not possible to establish different degrees of fault, the liability shall be apportioned equally where loss of life or personal injuries are suffered by any person on board a ship owing to tho fault of that ship and of any other ehip or ships, the liability of the shipowners shall be joint and several. The measure is being introduced in the legislatures of the various self-govern-ing colonies at the instance of the Colonial Office. REVISING THE ESTIMATES. An innovation in respect of the departmental estimates has been made this session. For several days past the Public Accounts Committee has been considering the estimates as brought down with the Financial Statement on Tuesday evening. The committee presented an interior report to tho House yesterday afternoon, recommending that the following classes should be allowed to pass the Department of Finance:—Post and Telegraph, Working Railways, Native Department and the Native Land Settlement Account. The committee also reported having reviewed the estimates of the Defence Department, and recommended that the same should be allowed to proceed as amended. A scrutiny of the altered schedule which relates to the salaries of the General Staff and the Now Zealand Staff Corps, has been revised to the extent that certain individual salaries have been varied. The sum total of the alterations is a net reduction in the vote of £36. In order to enable tho committee to complete its investigations, an extension of time has been afforded until Friday next. IMMIGRANTS FROM HOME.

Arrivals in Now Zealand from the United Kingdom during the year ended March 31 last totalled 12,250, consisting of 9909 adults and 2341 children. The majority of these persons,' so it is stated in the annual report of the Immigration Department, .made their own arrangements. Assisted immigrants totalled 3300 and included 520 farmers and farm hands, representing 1094 souls, 397 wives rejoining their husbands and 1020 domestic workers. Tho new assisted immigrants possessed declared capital of £24,088.