153

A.—sa

EIGHTH DAY. Monday, 29th April, 1907. The following were present:— Right Hon. I). Li.nvn (.loner, M.l'.. Chairman. Uni/id Kingdom Delegates. Mr. 11. Likwki.ivn Smith, C.8.,j Mr. E. Pembroke, \ Mi. Walter .1. Howell, C.8.. Of the Board of Mr. K. Amikrson, Mr. R. Ei.lis Ci'.M.ii i i . Trade. Mr. 11. I-'. Pbbnib, [ Shipowners. (Captain A. J. G. Chalmers. I Mr. Robert J. Dunlop, Mr. H. Bertram Cox. CI!, of the Colonial Office. Mr. Norman Hill, I Mr. J. HAVELOCK Wilson, M.l 1 ., Seamen. l ustralian Dili-gates. Hon. Sir W. I. Lyne. K.C.M.G. I lion. Dugald Thomson. Hon. W. M. Hdohes. . Dr. 11. \. W'.H.i.vs-i-eiN. 1.L.1).. 1.5.0., if th.' Australian Commonwealth Department of Trade and Customs, wae also in attendance. \'c ir Zealand Delegates. Hon. Sir Joseph Warp, K.C.M.G. I Mr. William Belcher. Mr. James Miiis. | Mr. A. R. Hislop. Dr. FlTCiil.Ti', Solicitor-General of New Zealand, was also in attendance. Secretaries. Mr. .1. A. Whistiii. IQ, .. R—.-J ~f t—j, Ml - •'■ Hia_OP, Private Secretary to Sir J. Ward. Mr. (I. E. Baker, | ■ Mr. I). J. Quinn, Private Secretary to Sir W. Lyne.

AGENDA. I. Resolutions submitted by the Imperial Delegation:— (1.) That it be recommended to the Australian and New Zealand Governments in any future Merchant Shipping legislation to insert an express, provision safeguarding the obligations imposed by any Treaties which erenow binding on Australian and New Zealand respectively or to which the-y may hereafter adhere. (2.) That i.ll resolutions adopted by this Conference arc understood to be without prejudice to the decision of any legal questions involved. (3.) That the obligations Imposed by Australian or New Zealand law on shipping registered in the United Kingdom should not he- more onerous than those imposed <>n the shipping of any foreign country. (4.) That, with a view to uniformity, it Ih- a suggestion to the Australian and New Ze-aland ministers that in exercising any powers conferred on them by legislation to make regulations with regard to matters affecting Mi .-chant Shipping they should have regard to the corresponding provisions of the- Imperial Merchant Shipping Acts, or regulations made 1 he rcundcr, so far as Circumstances permit ; and that at least three months' notice should be given before- any such regulations oome Into force. (5.) That it be- a recommendation to the- Australian and New Zealand Governments that if conditions arc imposed by local law on vessels Incidentally engageel in the Coasting Trade in the course of an oversea voyage, care should Ik- taken i"hat these conditions should not be such as to handicap these- vessels in their trade. 11. Resolution submitted by Sir Joseph Ward:— That the Imperial and Colonial Governments concerned be requested to introduce legislation to give effect to the resolutions of the Confi-n-nc e- in cases where legislation is necessary. 111. Resolutions submitted by Mr. Hughes : — (1.) That it be a- suggestion to the Beiard of Trade to take into immediate consideration the necessity of including in the regulations for examination for officers the- following subjects directly relating to navigation: — The practice and theory of plane and spherical trigonometry. Geometry. Geography, hydrography, and meteorology. Naval architecture and the structure of vessels. The addition of the following subjects to examination on general knowledge:— The English language -Grammar and composition. A knowledge- of at le-ast one foreign language. (2.) That it be a recommendation to the Board of Trade that all vessels should be sufficiently staffed with officers to enable the- principle of four hours on watch and eight off being rigidly adhered to. In vessels of ..mail tonnage the regulations should provide that the master should keep a sea-watch of eight hours out of every twenty-four,

21—A. sa.