REGULATIONS FOR STEAM AND SAILING VESSELS.

West Coast Times, Issue 917, 31 August 1868, Page 4

REGULATIONS FOR STEAM AND SAILING VESSELS.

In the "New Zealand Gazette" of tho 29th June, tho following regulations are published with respect to steam and sailing vessels, and which will como in force on the Ist of September next; —

By-laws.

" 1. No vessol, whether a steamer or sailing vessel, shall be so .laden as to show less of her sido above water amidships, as measured from her covering boards, than threo inches for every foot of her draft of water ; but paddlesteamers, plying in rough water or at sea, shall in no cas& bo laden so that their sponsons shall bo less than one-fourth of the diameter of tho paddles above the surface of tho water.

" 2. No sailing vessol, trading on the coast of the colony, shall be permitted to carry passengers unless eho be, in tho judgment of tho Collector of Customs, or a surveyor appointed by him for tho purpose, in good

order, properly laden or ballasted, and fit for the intended voyage, commanded by a sober and experienced master, manned by an efficient crow, 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 be immediately available in any emergency. "3. Ifc 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. '•4. No sailing vessel, the duration of whoso voyago does not exceed one day, reckoned as per schedule hereto shall be permitted to carry a greater number of passengers than one to each ton register, or one to every five feet of clear deck space.free from all incumbrances, and all such vessels shall be provided with at least two gallons of water for each adult on board.

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

"6. "'No vessel carrying passengers shall be permitted to carry dock cai'go unless ifc be efficiently secured to the satisfaction of the surveyor.

" 7. The following penalties for breaches of those by-laws as hereinafter specified aro hereby imposed, and may bo recovered according to the provisions of the said Act : — (a) For breach of any provision of these bye-laws or regulations framed for tho

purpose of preventing tho overloading of

steam or sailing vessels, any sum not ex- • ceeding five hundred pounds for any one voyage or attempted voyago of any vessel. (6) For breach of any provision of these by-laws or regulations framed for the purpose of preventing the overcrowding of sailing vessels with passengers, any sum not exceeding five hundred pounds for any one voyage or attempted voyage, to bo computed at a rate not exceeding five pounds for every passenger carried by any sailing vessel in excess of the numbers by these by-laws authorised. (c) For breaoh of any oilier provisions of these bylaws or regulations, any sum not exceeding fifty pounds.

" SOHKDXTDE A. "Voyages which shall be reckoned as of one day's duration when made by sailing craft : —

"1. From port to port, within Cook and Foveaux Straits, when the distance does not exceed fifty miles.

"2. From port to port, on the west coast of tho Middle Island, when the distance does not exceed twenty-five miles.

" 3. From port to port on tho west coast of the North Island, or on the cast of either island, or of Stewart's Island, when tho distance does not exceed fifty miles.

" AH voyages not included within the above limits shall, for tho purposes of these by-laws, bo held to be of more than one day's duration."