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70
CREW SPACES.
It is gratifying to note that this subject is receiving more favourable consideration
in responsible quarters, and it may be assumed therefore that the reiterated comments
by, amongst others, Port Sanitary Authorities on the inadequate provisions of existing
legislation, relating to the hygiene of vessels from the point of view as dwellings, is
beginning to take effect, and there are at least signs of some attempt at an international
levelling up of standards in this respect.
The Commonwealth of Australia in the Navigation Bill of 1912 deals with the
subject in much greater detail than the British Merchant Shipping Act, in reference to
vessels (a) Registered in Australia (b) engaged in the Coast trade.
I have also been privileged to peruse certain Regulations drafted by the Director
of Shipping for the Government of Norway on the same subject.
The Board of Trade have also revised and re-issued the Instructions to their
Surveyors, which will take effect in February, 1914. These instructions do not, of
course, enlarge any provisions of the Merchant Shipping Act, but merely instruct
Surveyors as to the terms in which, in the opinion of the Board, those provisions should
be translated in practice.
In all legislation dealing with the accommodation on vessels for seamen, the first
question that presents any difficulty is the minimum of space to be afforded each man.
It must be expressed in two dimensions, (a) cubic or general breathing space, and
(b) floor area.
It has been pointed out by all who have handled the subject with a view to
reform, that the legal minimum does usually in practice become the maximum. This
should not be so, but it is of course only natural that builders should consider the
official minimum as sufficient.
The British Merchant Shipping Act offers, by way of inducement to the
shipowners, to deduct from the tonnage of the ship, upon which he pays dues, the
tonnage expressed by the space devoted entirely to the use of the crew.
This Act also regulates the measurement of vessels for the purposes of the
Australian Navigation Bill.
It is therefore interesting to note that the Commonwealth Government by the
Bill do not regard the minimum space provided by the Imperial Act as being adequate,
and a similar view would appear to be taken by the Norwegian Government, thus:—
Merchant Shipping Act. Australia. Norway.
Cubic space (in feet) 120 140 140
Floor area (in square feet) 15 18 18
It is a peculiarity of the Merchant Shipping Act that the allowance of space
mentioned may be taken to include any special accommodation provided, such as
separate mess rooms, &c., save that the space allotted for sleeping must not be less than