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It is satisfactory to note that, at the present, support in enforcing these
regulations is afforded, and even offered in some cases by the very firms who
two years ago most strenuously opposed them, and incited their masters to
disregard them. This has been brought about in the Port of London by
steady pressure and considerable expenditure of time and trouble in the
explanation of the meaning of the Acts, and, in certain cases, by an appeal to
the strong arm of the Law.
It is found by experience that, unless the breach is a wilful one, remonstrance
at the first is far more efficacious than an immediate appeal to a Magistrate ;
and, moreover, if eventually such a course has to be taken, it has much more
weight both with the Magistrate and the offender.
In one instance, where after due warning three summonses were taken out
against one owner, this proceeding has resulted in converting an enemy of
the Act into a staunch upholder thereof.
Overcrowding is rare on these boats. The 698 examined during the year
were registered for 2,570, and carried only 1,837.
This difference is partly owing to the fact that some registration
Authorities are in the habit of registering a boat to carry one adult for every
60 cubic feet the cabin contains, so that one class of wide boat is uniformly
licensed for eight statute adults.
This, however, certainly was not the intention of the Act; nor, according
to my opinion, is it consistent with the regulations of the Local Government
Board, Section I., No. 3. d., which states distinctly that "every cabin,
"if intended to be used as a dwelling, shall be so constructed or fitted as to
11 provide adequate and convenient sleeping accommodation for the persons
" allowed by these regulations to dwell in the boat."
In fixing the number of persons to be carried in a boat, I have specially
considered this provision of sleeping accommodation, and, where two bunks
only are provided or available, have limited the number, whatever the cubic
contents of the cabin may have been.
Where it has been desired to carry more than the number of bunks in existence
I have had the extra accommodation added before carrying out the
registration.
However, overcrowding does still occur.
These are mostly cases of a poor man with a large family, always very
difficult to deal with; where a man has only just sufficient money to
support a young family, it stands to reason that he cannot afford to pay for
the keep of one or two on shore, even if the children are old enough to be left.
Clearly the children should be under the care of the mother, and it seems
a cruel thing to deprive her of them, even where the extra expense can be borne.