COMMITTEE ON FINANCE. - MONEY RESOLUTION (OIL IN NAVIGABLE WATERS BILL).
It is not likely that very much money will be expended from public funds as a result of this Bill. It may be, indeed, that there will not be any expenditure at all. The Minister for Industry and Commerce is given power, under Section 8, to appoint "an officer of the Ministry or other competent or independent person to inspect vessels in any waters to which this Act applies, and every officer and other person so appointed may, at all reasonable times, enter upon any such vessel and examine the measures adopted therein to prevent the escape of oil therefrom." It is the intention of the Minister to appoint as inspector a whole-time member of the staff of his own Department, an engineer who will not receive any additional remuneration for his work under this Bill. The only circumstances under which extra cost will fall on the State as a result of this Bill will be that, when a dispute arises, it may become necessary to have the services of some independent outside person. That is a circumstance that, I think, however, very rarely arises, and may not arise at all.
Motion put and agreed to.