H.—ls

1911. NKW ZEALAND.

MARINE DEPARTMENT: ANNUAL REPORT FOR 1910-11.

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly by Command of His Excellency.

My Lord,— Marine Department, Wellington, 20th July, 1911. I do myself the honour to transmit herewith, For Your Excellency's information, the report of the Marine Department of the Dominion for the financial rear ended the 81st March last. I have, ifec, J. A. Millar. His Excellency the Right Hon. Baron Islington, Governor of NVn Zealand.

I)(i Marine Department, Wellington, 25th May, 1911. I have the honour to make the following report on the work of this Department during the year ended the 31st March last. Shipping and Seamen Aim minimi Act. — The Shipping and Seamen Amendment Act, 1909, which was referred to in my last report, has been assented to by His Majesty on the understanding that a Bill will be introduced into Parliament next session to repeal section 41, to which the Imperial authorities take exoeption on the ground that the New Zealand law should not alter or nullify shipping contracts made outside the Dominion. Amongst other things, the Act provides that steamers plying exclusively on any lake or within river or extended river limits may be exempted from carrying a certificated master *>v engineer; that certificates granted to masters, mates, and engineers elsewhere in the British D inions may l>e recognized in New Zealand: that no person shall engage or supplj seamen unless he is the owner, master, mate, or engineer of a ship, or is a Superintendent of Mercantile Marine; that no seaman is to W allowed to eign an agreement t.. serve on a ship unless lie understands the English Language; that British foreigngoing ships of not less than 1.0(1(1 tons gross tonnage gong to sea from New Zealand are to carry certificated cooks: that ships of :!()() tons register and upwards registered in New Zealand or engaged in the coasting trade are to be provided with sanitary, hospital, ami lavatory aocommoda tion for the crew: that the Minister may withhold for such period as he thinks fit the certificates of discharge of seamen who fail to join their ships after they have been lawfully engaged; that when the restricted limits of steamers are reduced, masters and engineers who have been plying within the limits before reduction may continue l<. ply in the same limits: that load-lines may be fixed for ships employed in carrying sand, shingle, gravel, cement, or other dead-weight cat-., in river and extended rivei limits, and for home-trade vessels under '-'(I tons register carrying similar oargoes; that the Governor in Council may require New-Zealand-registered ships carrying passengers to be fitted with wireless-telegraph apparatus; that before the building of a ship of over 25 tons gross tonnage in New Zealand is commenced plans and specifications are to be submi,,, ~i l(1 a nd approved by the Minister of Marine; and thai the Governor in Council may make regulations for the inspection of wool, flax, tow. skins, or other goods! liable to spontaneous combustion before shipment on foreign-going ships. _ During last session of Parliament an Act to further amend the Shipping and Soamon Act. 190S was passed. This Act provides that seamen employed in ships plying or trading between New Zealand and the Commonwealth of Australia and the Cook Islands are to pay the current rate of wages for the time ruling in the Dominion : and that, in the case of ships plying or trading between New Zealand and the Commonwealth of Australia and the Cook Islands which are manned wholb or in part by Asiatics, passenger tickets and bills of lading and shipping documents for

! If. 15.