MARITIME AND MIGRATION PROBLEMS 89
indefinitely because existing legislation falls far short of the
requirements of the Convention.
All nations, except Belgium, which have ratified and for
which data were recorded,! are stated to have its provisions
in application. Belgium has taken steps to comply with the
obligations. Denmark, which has not ratified, is stated to
have passed legislation applying the Convention. In Ger-
many account of the terms of this Convention has been taken
in preparing legislation.
SIMPLIFICATION OF THE INSPECTION OF EMIGRANTS ON
Boarp SHIPS
The Draft Convention concerning the Simplification of
the Inspection of Emigrants on Board Ships, adopted at
Geneva in 1926, first specifies that for the purposes of its
application, the terms “emigrant vessels” and “emigrant”
are to be defined for each country by the competent authori-
ties in that country. Official inspection conducted on board
emigrant vessels for the protection of emigrants is to be
undertaken by not more than one government. This pro-
vision is not to prevent another government, however, from
placing on board, occasionally and at its own expense, a
representative to accompany its emigrants in the capacity of
observer, on condition that heis not to encroach on the duties
of the official inspector.
Such an official inspector is to be appointed, as a general
rule, by the government of the country whose flag the vessel
flies, but may be appointed by another government if an
agreement is reached between the governments of the coun-
try whose flag the vessel flies and one or more of those whose
nationals are carried as emigrants.
In regard to the qualifications of such an inspector the
Convention states that the practical experience and the
necessary professional and moral qualifications required are
to be determined by the government which is responsible for
his appointment. An official inspector is not to be, directly or
indirectly, connected with or dependent upon the shipowner
or the shipping company. An exception, however, in case of
1 For Jugoslavia and Luxemburg no data were as yet given.
