Before the Bill passes I would like to draw the attention of the Seanad to line 35 in Section 1. That line reads: "In bulk, and cognate words shall be constructed accordingly." Ought not that word read "construed" and not "constructed"?
OIL IN NAVIGABLE WATERS BILL, 1925—FOURTH STAGE.
Question—"That the Bill be considered on Report"—put.
Yes; that is right.
I beg to move as an amendment that the word "constructed" be deleted and that the word "construed" be substituted therefor.
I second that.
Amendment put and agreed to.
In Section 2, just at the bottom of the same page in the third line, it reads at present "twenty-five tons of oil at one time." Then if you look through the Bill you will find that in other sections it reads "any vessel." Unless there is some reason for mentioning "twenty-five tons of oil," I think that that portion should be deleted. A vessel carrying fifteen tons or twenty tons of oil would do as much damage as a vessel carrying twenty-five tons of oil. There may be some explanation for it, but I have read the Bill carefully and I think this Section 2 is inconsistent with the rest of the Bill.
We have no amendment before us.
My purpose is that any vessel ought to be prohibited. If you read the definitions in Clause I. you will find that the word "vessel" includes "any ship or boat or any other description of vessel used in navigation."
I am not clear as to the purpose of putting in "twenty-five tons of oil at one time," but I think there is no contradiction as between the definition clause and what is stated in Section 2, because Section 2 goes on to say "or which though not so capable is constructed or fitted to carry in bulk as aforesaid more than five tons of oil in any one space or container." That is a vessel such as is described in the preceeding portion of Section 2. I would have to look more deeply into what is the basis of the Bill. Perhaps if the Senate would let the Fifth Stage remain over, it would be better. I must thank Senator Jackson for drawing attention to these two matters.
Fourth Stage postponed.