MINUTES OF EVIDENCE.

Tuesday, 29th July, 1902. Captain J. H. Bradney, of Auckland, examined. (No. 1.) 1. Mr. Millar.] You have had some experience of Auckland Harbour ?—Yes. 2. Do you trade outside Auckland Harbour at all ?—Not outside. lam restricted to the river limits. 3. In your opinion, as a practical man, do you consider that a vessel ought to be allowed to run between the boundaries of Bream Head and Cape Colville—outside the limits fixed by the present shipping laws of the colony ?—I do not. 4. I suppose, in your experience you can tell the Committee that very heavy weather is met with there sometimes ?—Yes, very heavy. 5. You consider that those limits are too great ?—I think any man trading outside the present river limits should be qualified. 6. Do you think, as a practical man, that there should be no such thing as an extended limit beyond three miles outside the harbour? —I think that is a very fair thing. 7. You consider that outside that all vessels should be placed on the same footing?— Yes. 8. Mr. Hutcheson.] Your petition refers mostly to the conditions as to master than to the engineer ?—I am not asking for any change with regard to engineers for oil-engines. Engineers recognise that a man would soon learn to drive an oil-engine without having passed the necessary qualifications for steam. 9. The conditions as to the various grades of mates and masters are the same whether the vessel is propelled by steam or any other motive power? There is no distinction between the masters' certificates? —None whatever. There are just three grades. 10. And you do not ask for any distinction as between the steam and other motive-power vessels in your petition ?—No. 11. Do you think, if a disaster took place, it would matter much whether it occurred at Whangarei or in Auckland Harbour, so far as the drowning of the people was concerned ?—I think not. 12. The same amount of skill would be required in handling a vessel with regard to the rule of the road whether it was in a small or a large harbour ?—Yes. 13. In your petition you are concerned as to the capacity of the men who have to take care of the lives of others ?—Yes. 14. Hon. Mr. Hall-Jones.] You simply ask that the two classes of boats shall be placed on the same footing ?—Yes, except for engineers. 15. You would allow the present exemption to stand ?—Yes, except with regard to the master and life-saving apparatus. 16. You have had some questions put to you with regard to the restricted limits in the Auckland District: you know that district well ?—Yes, very fairly. lam a resident of Auckland the last forty-two years, and have been twelve years at sea. 17. When Mr. Millar said it would be unsafe to allow anything to go outside three miles of the harbour, your reply was, with a knowledge of the circumstances in Auckland Harbour and between Bream Head and Cape Colville? —Yes. I know that a great many masters are manufactured on the Waikato Biver. They may be bullock-drivers who have had a fancy to go on a boat, and after being twelve months on a boat they qualify as a master, and are admitted to any vessel in any harbour of New Zealand. If they remained on the Waikato Biver it would be right enough, but the chances are that they become ambitious, and in time, when you come to town, you might find them in charge of vessels running to Whangarei; and I think, in the interests of the travelling public and shipowners generally, it is too much to ask that these men should be allowed to take vessels outside the harbour, for which a man certainly requires a certain amount of nautical experience. 18. Mr. R. Thompson.] In your remarks you refer to masters who have qualified on the Waikato Biver : have you ever known them to be placed in charge of passenger-vessels ?—Yes. 19. Where ? —There is one running now to Kawau. 20. You mentioned that sometimes they have vessels running to Whangarei ? —I said it was possible. There is nothing to prevent it. I certainly know men who are running to the extreme of the restricted limits who really are not sailors. 21. I suppose that would be in small sailers?—No; passenger-vessels, and a very nice class of vessels too —much superior to anything I have seen down here. 22. Mr. Willis.] Do you think there would be any danger to any of those little launches running down the Wanganui, where it is calm water and any one can manage a launch? Do you think it is necessary that the master of such a boat should go through an examination ?—I do not see that you can make one law for one place and another law for another place. It should be made to apply to every part of the colony. Ido not know the conditions in Wanganui, but it is unfair for a man who has passed an examination to be prevented from making a living. All other trades are protected. It is all very well from one point of view, but you may be taking the bread out of a man's mouth. I—l. 9.