REGULATIONS FOR STEAM AND SAILING VESSELS.

West Coast Times, Issue 916, 29 August 1868, Page 4

REGULATIONS FOR STEAM AND SAILING VESSELS.

In the " Now Zealand Gazette" of the 29th Juno, the following regulations aro published with respect to steam and sailing vessels, and which will come in force on tho Ist of September next ; —

By-laws,

" 1. No vessel, whether a steamer or sailing vessel, shall be so laden as to show less of her side above water amidships, as measured froni her covering boards, than three inches for every foot of her draft of water; but paddlesteamois, plying in rough water or at sea, shall in no cuso bo laden so that their spouBQiis shall be less than one-fourth of the diameter of the paddles above the surfuco of tho water.

"2. No sailing vessel, trading on tho coast of tho colony, shall bo permitted to carry passengera.unlessshobo, in Iho judgment of tho Collector of Customs, or a surveyor appointed by him for tho purpose, in good

order, properly laden or ballasted, and lit for tho intended voyage, commanded by a sober and experienced master, manned by an efficient crew, and properly equipped, and fitted all round with sufficient bulwarks, rails, or stanchions with rope or chain, and carries at least one life-buoy and one efficient boat in such manner that both shall bo immediately available in any emergency. "3. It shall be the duty of the Harbormaster or other port officer of any port to survey any sailing vessel for the purpose of ascertaining whether the regulations contained in these bye-laws have been complied with, when called upon to do so, and to notify to the Collector of Customs, in writing, the result of such survey. Cl 4. No sailing vessel, the duration of whose voyage doe 3 not exceed one day, reckoned as per schedule hereto shall be permitted to carry a greater number of passengers than ono to each ton register, or ono to every five feet of clear deck space,free from all incumbrances, ai d all such vessels shall bo provided with at least two gallons, of water for each adult on board. ■»"

" 5. No cloaked sailing vessel, the duration of whose voyage exceeds one day, reckoned as per schedule hereto, shall be permitted to carry passengers, unless, in addition to the equipments and iittings specified in the second by-law, she be fitted with substantial and firmly secured booby-hatches over tho passenger hatchway, so iixed as to be capable of being kept open in all weathers, aud of affording the greatest possible amount of light, air, and protection from wet, or unless the lias on board sufficient water for the intended voyage, to the satisfaction of tho Collector of Customs or the surveyor, aud not less than two gallons for each adult passenger for each day of the average duration of the voyage; and no such vessel shall be permitted to carry more passengers than at the rate of ono adult to every seventy-two cubic feet of clear space allotecl to passenger accommodation below hutches, or a greater number of passengers than one for every registered ton of her burden, or a greater number than ono for every seven superficial feet of deck space, clear for exercise, aud properly protected by bulwark or rails as aforesaid. The number of passengers allowed to be carried shall in no ease exceed tho smallest number ascertained by any ono of tho three alternative methods of measuring mentioned therein.

"6. "' No vessel carrying passengers shall bo permitted to carry deck car^o unless it be efficiently secured to the satisfaction of the surveyor.

" 7. The following penalties for breaches of these by-laws ps hereinafter specified aro hereby imposed, and may be recovered according to the provisions of the said Act : — (a) For breach of any provision of these bye-laws or regulations framed for the purpose of preventing the overloading of steam or sailing vessels, any sum not exceeding five hundred pounds for any one voyage or attempted voyage of any vessel. (5) For breach of any provision of these by-laws or regulations framed for the purpose of preventing the overcrowding of sailing vessels with passenger.-*, any sum not exceeding fivo hundred pounds for any one voyage or attempted voyage, to he computed at a rate not exceeding five • pounds for every passenger carried by any sailing vessel in excels of the numbers by thc3c by-laws authorised. (c) For breach of any other provisions of these bylaws or regulations, any sum not exceeding fifty pounds.