The wanganui Herald. [PUBLISHED DAILY.] SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 1903. CERTIFICATED ENGINEERSAND OIL ENGINES.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXXVII, Issue 11045, 5 September 1903, Page 4

The wanganui Herald. [PUBLISHED DAILY.] SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 1903. CERTIFICATED ENGINEERSAND OIL ENGINES.

The clause in the Shipping and Seamen Act stipulating that none but certificated engineers shall have charge of oil-engines in auxiliary schooners has caused great annoyance and irritation to owners of vessels, who stoutly protest against the necessity for such a provision. There is much to be said in favour of the contention of the objoctors, who argue that no special qualification is required to drive ' oil-engines, which can be mastered by any ordinary individual that has the slightest knowledge of machinery. It is held also that even engineers that have had ' no previous experience with- thiß class of engine frequently fail to satisfactorily work them. Be 'that as it may, this one thing § is certain: the restriction proves very irksome in the case of small trading vessels that use oil-engines as auxiliary motive

power, v entails unnecessary expenditure, and in a - corresponding degree increases the cost of freights. Strong representations have at various times been made to the Minister of Marine to have the Act amended by- striking out the objectionable clause, biit the Hon. Mr Hall-Jones will not give way on the point, for the reason probably that powerful influence has been brought to bear on him in another direction, i.e., v from the Amalgamated Society oi~ Engineers. Last session a Bill was introduced which consolidated and amended the laws relating to shipping and seamen, and after passing the second reading it was referred to a select Committee of the House. The Committee, in the course of their inquiries, took a quantify of evidence, and not the least interesting was that relating to oil-engines and certificated engineers. Some very strong arguments were then addticed against the inclusion in the Bill of the proviso that only certificated 'engineers 7 should liave charge of oil-engines. The Bill did not get further than the Committee. stage, but has been reintroduced this session in a re,vised" form, with the clause above referred ■to retained. It is .somewhat significant that when the Bill came up for its secojnd reading a few days ago ' the Minister in charge (the Hon. Hall-Jones) avoided any mention of the clause in question, though he was careful to explain at considerable length other and less important provisions. The discussion that >• followed showed that the clause had- not escaped the ; notice 1 of some hon. members, and judging by their remarks considerable opposition will be shown in Committee to its inclusion in the Bill. Mr Houston, in the course o* his speech", gave an instance of the absurdity of the provision. 1 He stated that a small trading schooner of about 40 tons register, plying out of Auckland Harbour, was fitted with one of these oil-engines, and the owner was mvv formed 'that the Customs would not allow the vessel' to leave port until he complied with' .the "regulations and carried a certificated engineer. He advertised for an an_d received seven applications. The applicants .'came down to the vessel, but?;not one- of 'them could start the engine. 1 (However, the ,son of, the. owner^ who had been driving them up to that time,' came to. the rescue and started, the engine, and continued in charge for some time. The law was again set in force, and an engineer was engaged. He simply remained on deck . and did absolutely npthing, as he* contended that the regulations of the Shipping and Seamen's Act prevented him from doing any* other work. ' This is not an isolated case, for Mr Buchanan, the member for Wairarapa, quoted a similar instance of the failure of an engineer to drive an oil-engine. This was on an occasion when tl^e, ]Jnion . Steamship Company ordered an oil-launch for the South Sea Islands trade. The launch was in due time tak'en to jbhe islands by, a steamer, but after the lapse of several months it was .brought back again because the , certificated Engineers could , not get the engines to work, and the" builders were .heartily, abtisecl for supplying a ( .useless je.t of engines.' The manager of the foundry sent a lad down to the. steamer to- see what the trouble was, and in a very short space of. time had the enginea going, ajjultook a number of people on to the launch foT'a spin round the harbour. The* member for Wanganui was, also outspoken., in condemnation of the provision for permit- ■ tingi,.only a certificated engineer to have .charge of an oil-engine." After expressing, the opinion that a man wjth any brains, at all could quickly learn to use an oilengine, and,, that men that had; had- experience with them, could more. easily- detect defects in them than "trained engineers, Mr " .went, on, .to say : , "It seems to me that the fitting-up' of these oil-engines should be encouraged in every possible way in small schooners and vessels, because they provide a cheap means of very often getting ?out of a .difficulty, A vessel may at" any time find herself on* a lee shore, and such an, engine might -be the /means of securing her safety. Suppoae, even, a vessel has these oil-engines and' she has a man, on board who is incompetent to work fcheni. What happens? It simply means that .the engines ; would no^ work, and the vessel is, no worse off than she would be if she had no, engines at all. On the other hand, it is not 1 likely that a man would be taken on board who . would not be competent to work those engines. Now I maintain this, would be a cheap means by which a vessel could extricate herself from danger; 'while if -such schooners are required to capry certificated engineers the expense is yery great in- . deed, because it would only be occasioni ally that the engines would- require to be used, and for the whole of the time they were not used the engineer would be simply sitting down With nothing whatever to do, and he would, of course, have to be paid for his idle time. It seems to me this is the outcome of a species .of trades unionism amongst the registered engineers, who want to -ensure that only certificated, engineers shall be employed in .connection with engines' of this or any other 'description/ When this Bill goes' to Committee I hope this clause 186 will particularly receive special attention, and I shall be quite prepared myself ■to move in the< direction pi- having this provision for the .emplovinent of certificated engineers only to work' oil-engines on these small vessels struck out altogether." It is unnecessary to further quote from the speeches delivered in oposition to the clause, as We think it' will be generally admitted that a good case has been made out on behalf,' of the owners of auxiliary schooners/ who will watch with great interest the further progress of the Bill.