STRUGGLE ON SHIP

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 56, Issue 305, 7 October 1936, Page 5

STRUGGLE ON SHIP

QUARTERMASTER AND OFFICER.

AXE THROWN INTO CABIN. STEERING AN ERRATIC COURSE. (Per Pi ess Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, This Day. With the ship following a zig-zag course, the third officer and the quartermaster struggled at the wheel of the liner Remuera as the vessel was passing Cape Campbell on Monday night. Later the ship’s axe was thrown by the quartermaster and crashed through a glass panel into the captain’s cabin, where the third officer had gone, seeking aid. The quartermaster followed the axe and grappled with the mate, but received a black eye and was taken into custody.

The quartermaster, James Lundy, aged 42, a native of Ireland, appeared in court this morning, charged with assaulting the third mate, Harold Bill, on the high seas. Lundy was sentenced to tlwee months’ hard labour by Mr Levvey, S.M., and ordered to be placed on the ship at the end of the term. The police said that the ' Remuera sailed from Wellington at 5 o’clock on Monday. Lundy was due on the bridge at 8 o’clock, but arrived 10 minutes late. The third mate knew Lundy had been drinking in Wellington, and after a few minutes sent for another man to take the wheel, as the mate was anxious to get an accurate bearing off Cape Campbell. Lundy refused to go, but after a struggle he was put out of the wheel-house. Lundy ireturned, and the mate went into the captain’s cabin to call the captain, and there was a crash as the axe came through the panel. Hill, in evidence, said that soon after Lundy took the wheel he found .the ship was off her course. A chart produced by Hill indicated that a zig-zag course had been taken. Hill said he found it impossible to get another bearing with Lundy steering. In evidence Lundy said that the mate told him the . ship was off her course, and his reply was. that he was bringing her back. He claimed that the mate’ struck him and stupefied him. After he was put off the bridge he saiv an axe, and the sight of it tempted him to threaten the third officer. *

In reply to the Magistrate, Lundy declared that his mind was a blank from the time he was alleged to he struck outside the wheelhouse until he found himself in the captain’s cabin.