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Progress, Volume VI, Issue 9, 1 July 1911, Page 730

The Marine Department has intimated that any breach of the Harbour By-laws by small craft will in future result in prosecution of the offender. This is not a hasty decision, but is the result of numerous complaints by masters of vessels of the utter disregard of the rule of the road by some of those in charge of small sailing and motor boats. The majority of boat owners are careful enough, but it is the small careless minority that is getting us into disrepute with the authorities and the men on the bridge. Only the other day the master of a ship stopped me and asked the name of the owner of a boat which he described to me, saying that he intended to report the man for cutting across his bows

in the inner harbour. Fortunately the description he gave me was common to several small craft in this harbour, so I was able to truthfully state that I didn’t know. Another instance! The turbine steamer “Maori” was coming up the harbour a few weeks ago at high speed, when a well-known small craft, with some ladies aboard, cut right across her bows, and the captain had to go full speed astern to escape cutting her doAvn. Now, this sort of thing should never occur. It is so easy to get out of a steamer’s way that in fairness to the master, if not with any regard to safety, it should be done. Remember that although you may be willing to risk your lives and property, it is unfair to jeopardise an honest sailorman’s certificate and his living, upon which, perhaps, a wife and family depend. Please think of this, boys, next time, and every time you see a vessel coming down the _ harbour. It is only a fair thing. Business before pleasure, you know. I’m sure the sailormen will appreciate your efforts not to render their trying calling more irksome than it is.