PURCHASE OF VESSELS FOR WAR WORK

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 83, Issue 290, 8 December 1939, Page 8

PURCHASE OF VESSELS FOR WAR WORK

N.Z. REGULATIONS POVVTSK GIVEN TO DIRECTOR OF SEA TRANSPORT ( Per Pretss Association.J WELLINGTON’. Dec. 7. Authority for the Director of Sea Transport compulsorily to purchase vessels if it is deemed cZvisable, is contained in amending regulations gazetted to-night. Under the principal regulations power is given to the Director of Sea I Transport to requisition and take up New Zealand icgistcred ships on charter for anti-submarine, minesweeping or examination service, and several vessels have been so requisitioned. It has been found in several cases that the rates of hire, especially in respect of the older type of vessels, arc such that a saving would result if I the vessels were purchased by the I Crown. In each case of proposed purlchase the director is required, as soon las possible after he has given the necessary notice of acquisition, to fix a {price for the vessel based on the fair : market value at the date of acquisition, together with any special value I to the owner due to the use made by him of the vessel, but excluding any enhancement of value arising from war conditions and their effect on the market, and excluding also any consideration ot special value due to the ! fact that the vessel is component of a i fleet or service. If the owner, or any (person having a registered interest or ■charge on the vessel, does not agree | with the price fixed, the regulations confer a right to apply to a magistrate to fix the price to be paid. It is not expected the regulations will be used to any extent. A further amendment to the principal regulations extends the power of requisitioning to any such small vessels as launches which may be required for service and are not. required by the Imperial Merchant Shipping Act, 1894, to be registered.

SEA FISHING INDUSTRY LICENSING I NDER EFFICIENCY ACT. [ Ter Frees Association.] WELLINGTON, Dec. 7. Regulations issued under the Industrial Efficiency Act relating to the licensing of the sea-fishing industry were referred to by the Minister of Industries and Commerce, Hon. D. G. Sullivan, this evening. “It will be remembered, ’’ said the Minister, “the industry asked for the introduction of a plan under the Industrial Efficiency Act in order that, a greater measure of organisation and co-ordination might be introduced. Various sections of the industry also requested that the licensing provisions of the Act be made applicable to their interests. The introduction of a plan itself has been held over because of war emergency conditions and reorganisation of the industry upon the best economical basis is being effected under the Foodstuffs Emergency Regulations. The Bureau of Industry, however, is the licensing authority and the regulations now issued stipulate the fees which have been agreed upon in order to cover the cost of administration.