Hon. W. KESWICK-Your Excellency, the conclusion we came to at the last meeting, ac- cording to my recollection, was this, that the Attorney-General should draw up the report, rovise the Bill according to the suggestions of the committee, call another meeting to revise. in printed form the draft wo had male, and consider and disenss the report, and, if approved of, pass it and submit it to the Governor. "Thore- fore the detailed particulars that have just been given by my hon. friend, the Acting Attorney- General, to the best of my recollection are correct. His EXCELLENCY--Gentlemen, you under- stand that I myself, not having been a member of the committee and having only received the communication I read to you, don't know exactly what passed, but upon the whole, I think the members are agreed upon this, that no doubt a great deal of pains was taken by the committee in going through the Bill, but that the matter was not fually settled. So far, that appears to be the state of things with regard to the Mer- chant Shipping Bill,
Hon. W. KESWICK-It was thought that as the small Bill was an integral portion of the larger Bill we should take them together.
His EXCELLENCY-I am a little disappointed in learning that, because, when I consented to the suggestion of referring this Bill to a committes! with the Merchant Shipping Bill, I expressed & hope that the short Bill for the survey of steam- ships and boiler: ald be brought into operation without delay, and fore that the committee would deal as shortly as ssible with that part of the question. The committee have giron to it great discussion, and I don't say they have not acted wisely in doing so. But now they come bafore us as separate measuros, that is, the Attorney-General has before him the printed copy of the Bill for the survey of steamships and boilers, and in order that the matter may come before us in regular form, I venture to move that we go into committee upon that Bill.
Ha. W. KasWICK--May I remark, with re- gard to the deviation from your Excellency's wishes, that what was anderstood was that in stead of there being delay the matter would be pushed through very promptly, and therefore that in considering the small measure with the larger we should get on with the whole business, We did not anticipate such delay as has oc- curred.
The Council then wout into committee on the Bill,
On clause --
Hon. W. KaswICK said-The application of this Ordinance would be only to British vessels; consequently there would be 2 distinction between the requirements in the way of survey of British steamers and those of other nationalities. I think the objection originally taken is as forcible to-day as it was then, and it is very important. It is a diflicult matter to introduce anything with re- gard to foreign flags, but it is quite clear it is not fair to English vessels that they should have a burden to bear that is not borne by vassels under another fag. I think it might be pos sible to introduce a clause by which theinspection might be made imperative on the part of con signees, otherwise there is a spirit of unfairness in it towards our own flag.
The ACTING ATTORNEY-GENERAL-In the larger Ordinance, your Excellency, I have taken notice of that, and I have inserted a clause which I thought would be satisfactory to all, to the effect that if a certificate was produced from any foreign nation to the satisfaction of the Governor of this Colony, such a survey as is here required would not be compulsory. I really think that the whole question involves such difenities- and I have looked carefully through the books on the subject that I don't know that your Excel- leucy or the Council would be quite justified in such a question as this, affecting shipping in terests that it would be wise to bring in that point without a reference home.
His EXCELLENCY-I need hardly say, gentle. men, that when a measure of this kind comes before as I am most anxious to obtain the views of the commercial gentlemen on the Council, and the hon. gentleman who has just spoken has pointed out that this clause we are now dealing with practically applies this Ordinance to all
British steamships within the waters of the Colony and excludes from its operation ships nader foreign flags. The full operation of the Ordinance applies only to vessels of fifty tous and upwards plying within the waters of the Colony. Well, whether it is a steamship flying the Ger- man flag or the British flag, so long as it is ply. ing in the Colony we could apply the Ordinance to it, but no doubt as the Bill stands, in dealing with a far more important question of steam- ships plying to other parts of the world the sur- vey would apply only to those flying the British flag. I understand the hon. gentlemen objects to that on the ground that it would be subject- ing the British ship owner to a survey to which the foreign shipowners are not subject. Well, it may be argued that the survey is one that would be useful to the shipowner; at the same time, if I understand my honourable friends, the commercial members at this table, support the view of the honourable member who has spoken, and that they would wish to have this Bill extend to the steamships of foreign nations as well as British steamships, I would be ready to give that my best considera- Lion, because I do think that in this or any other Colony we ought to have the fairest play between all, and certainly not to place the British shipowner at a disadvantage as com- pared with others. The Germans, Americans, and others enjoy the advantages of this Co- louy, they pay not ono whit more taxes than the British merchants, whilst some of them are exempt from doing duties a British merchant has to perform, and it would certainly be hard to the British shipowner that his ship should have to submit to hardships which the others would not. Therefore, if I understand the commercial gentlemen present agree with what has been said I would be fully prepared to represent their view to Her Majesty's Govern- ment, and to send this Bill to the Govern ment stating the view expressed by the bon. members at the Council table and asking how far Hor Majesty's Government would authorise me. for I would not have the power myself, to make a ebange which would include foreign steamships
in this clause.
Hou. H. B. Gran coucarred in the remarks which had been made by Mr. Keswick, and thought that all vessels coming to this Colony should undergo a survey.
His EXCELLENCY Under those circam. stances, I will not press the Bit to-day. I shall take the opportunity of at ones referring the question to the decision of the Secretary of State. and when we get his reply, which I hope will be in three months, I will communicate it to the Council. With respect to the Merchant Shipping Consolidation Ordinance. I think it is plain from what we have heard that another meeting bad better be called to put that in order, and bring it before us about the same time as the other will come under consideration:
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