A.—sa

34

THIRD DAY.

Friday, April sth, 1907

The following were present: — Acting-Chairman: Mr. H. Llewellyn Smith, C.B. United Kingdom Delegates. Mr. Walter J. Howell, C.8.,) nf ... r,__„j _ f Mr. K. Anderson, ) Mr. R. Ellis Cunl,..e, 0f ***** Mr. 11. F. Fernie, shipowners. Captain A. J. G. Chalmers, J Mr. R. J. Dunlop, [ r Mr. H. Bertram Cox, C.8., ) Of the Colonial Mr. Norman Hill, J Mr. A. B. Keith, j Office. Mr. J. Haveloi-k Wilson, M.P., representing Seamen. Australian Delegates. Hon. Sir W. J. Lyne, K.C.M.G. I Hon. Dugald Thomson. Hon. W. M. Hughes. Dr. H. N. Wollaston, LL.D., 1.5.0., of the Australian Commonwealth Department of Trade and Customs, was also in attendance. Xew Zealand Delegates. Hon. Sir Joseph Ward, K.C.M.G. | .Mr. William Belcher. Mr. James Mills, | Mr. A. R. Hislop. Dr. Fitchett, Solicitor-General of New Zealand, was also in attendance. Secretaries. Mr. J. A. Webster, I-. , u , . „ , I Mr. J. Hislop, Private Secretary to Sir J. Ward. Mr. G. E. Baker, Jul the JJoald ot irade - I Mr. D. J. Quinn, Private Secretary to Sir W. Lyne.

AGENDA. 1. Accommodation, ventilation, and conveniences. Question, how far requirements should be retrospective. Sir Joseph Ward's motion that " tin- limit of accommodation prescribed by Colonial laws should apply to existing vessels except in eases where the Minister is satisfied that the character of the structural alterations necessary in ordai to comply with the limit would he unreasonable ; the- shipowner to have the right of appeal to the- Supri-ini- Court from the Minister's decision." ■1. Manning. 3. Wages. 4. Classes of voyages to which " Australian conditions" should be applicable. Be Licences to engage in the coasting trade. (i. Bills of lading legislation.

Tats CHAIRMAN : I am sorry that the President of the Board of Trade should have found it impossible to be here this morning. He has asked me to take the chair in the interim on his behalf. Sir WILLIAM LYNE : Is there any necessity for any motion '! The CHAIRMAN : I do not know that there is. Sir WILLIAM LYNE: There- will be- no opposition, 1 expect. I wish, before we proceed with the business to-day, just to make a remark or two with reference to the information that is given of the Conference. It is very meagre, and I have been pestered a good deal about it, and I have information from Australia that the people then- are very dissatisfied that they are not getting more information. I am sorry the President is not here to-day. I wanted to see whether it was not possible to devise some means of giving more information which would not cause any trouble, because we have come a long way, and the people at the other end of the world want to know what we are doing, and they want more information than they have been able to get so far. They will get it somehow or other —in fact, they very nearly took possession of my room last night; they bombarded me until 7 o'clock last night. 1 had a conversation with the cable service manager, and he pointed out to me that they were not

getting any information which was at all satisfactory. I told him I would very likely bring the matter before the Conference to-day, to see it we were able to make some arrangement by which some more information could be given so far as the Conference is concerned, but I pre sunn- we cannot do anything in the absence of the President. But I should like you to consider that, and perhaps you could speak to the President to see if anything can be done. Mu. BELCHER: Sir William Lyne has forestalled me in connection with this matter.- I intended to raise the question as to what is the nature of the report that is being supplied to the Press here, and in which papers can it be found. I understood that an official report would be handed to the newspapers. I spent a lot of money in pure basing almost every newspaper published in London, and have looked carefully through their columns, but have not yet discovered any reference to the business of this Conference. I would like to know, sir, if any official report is being given to the newspapers, and 1 would also like to know in what newspapers that information may be found. Thi CHAIRMAN : In answer to that I may say that, as was agreed at the first meeting, a brief report is diawn up at the close of each sitting by the secretaries in consultation, and is then submitted to the President