TROUBLE ON TRANSPORT.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XL, Issue 9146, 31 October 1919, Page 7

TROUBLE ON TRANSPORT.

SENSATIONAL ALLEGATIONS

Sensational disclosures', were made bymunition workers who returned to Melbourne by the steamer Bahia Castillo (states the "Age"). The passengers numbered about 600, and of the score of returned! men wlio were interviewed not one had a kindly word to say about the trip. The common opinion was that it was ,"a hell upon sea." The story surrounding the experiences of those aboard, and of the adventures of the vessel, commences soon after the wteamer left Plymouth. According to the statements'of a member' of the committee of munition .-workers, -right from the outset there was trouble. The steamer's hygonic .appointment were far below requirements, cooking utensil's were limited, and there was wholesale unsavoriness about- the accommodation, which, "top, 'was altogether .<inadeqiiate . Anticipations of anything but a pleasant voyage were soon realised. The militant spirit of stewards and firemen showed itself oarly, and fights were, common. Some womenfolk refused to venture .out.until pacified by husbands ami friends. The meat, according to the men, was positively rank, and the bread was mere soddened slices of flour and water. Protestations against the continuance of such meals were quietly made when the vessel was a few days out, and there came the somewhat consoling response from those in charge that the food would bo better when the steamer reached South Africa. The munition workers depended on the promise being fulfilled, and they submitted to "stomachic tortures"—as. one man phrased it—in the hope of relief when the' alluring port of Durban was reached. A vivid picture of conditions aboard in the meantime was painted by the worker interviewed. Womon, he said, became hM, and children began to look emaciated. Not long after leaving England a. row occurred between stewards and firemen. One man was, the informant averred', kicked to death, and his assailant got five years' imprisonment 1 These happenings aggravated the nerves? of everyone, and the roughness of the sea added to the burden of discomfort.

For three days before reading South Africa many of those on board submitted to partial starvation rather 'than suffer the physical ailments that indifferent food' brought on. Even the best tempers were strained, and, grievances became general. The captain was ap-; pealed to but, .according to the story, his reply was, simply a ro-echo—"Wait till we get to South Africa." Durban; was reached in duo course, with, a sigh of relief. ' Passengers, felicitated/each other, on the prospects of their hopes,' and in some instances dreams, 'being realised. Soon after leaving South Africa the steamer had! its own nautical trouble^.,,-!Three time's it broke;<lown> and jcgfcurWjtpfport- were made. Owing to .these ■ misadventures tho committee, in its'/'/wisjJoin, decided not to' make 'any complaints at the time, although 1 .there were plenty of grounds" for' them. The steamer 'having been made [Seaworthy, the voyage recommenced. It was, however, with feelings of keen dHsappointioent^that those on hoard realised that the authorities had overlooked' their claims for better food. XI anything, the munition worker stated, the meat vra,s ranker, the cabbage

more rotten, , and the potatoes blacker than before. • ■ What- aggravated , the " ..passengers', perhaps more than anything was the

knowledge, gained : through ... a..casual,.. peep into the mess room, that the officers were dining on luxuries—the best of meats, fruits, and blanc manges. Again, the captain was appealed to by; the now enraged-passengers, aud (ac- - cording to the men interviewee]) he re- j plied that if they got him the cooks • he would give them the meals. There was, according to the.men, no- ' thing ,on shipboard approaching mutiny." It was at Durban that the captain told the passengers that a mili-; tary guard was to be paced on hoard.] This set the temper of the passengers | oh edge, and they resolutely declined ; to recognise the guard in the c.ircum- i stances. The captain's will, however, ' was supreme. The soldiers comprising', the guard, it is stated, sat down to • good meals, but the passengers had to ; submit to bully beef. Hardly a day cm': the trip to Western Australia, passed ' without incident. On reaching Ere- j mantle many passengers hurried off to i secure eatables. They were in formed / that the boat would not be leaving -til! j. noon on that, particular .day. To their chagrin, however, they learned that! it had left six hours earlier. There had J been so much fighting on-board that the women-folk were pleased to leave |

the ship for the time being. The whole Fremantle affair, it was stated, was simply due to a misunderstanding as to what time the.l vessel would be leaving for Melbourne. It was stated from another source that, while passengers were off the steamer at Fremantle, wholesale looting of the luggage took place. Aho.ut £800 is w't down as the value of She articles and goods stolen.