SABOTAGE.

Auckland Star, Volume LIII, Issue 308, 29 December 1922, Page 4

SABOTAGE.

ATTEMPT TO DESTROY STEAMER. SEAMEN SENT TO GAOL. At nine o"cloek last night a Harbour Board employee hailed the quarter-master on watch on the 9,000-ton steamer Tekoa and told him that all the stern mooring lines had been let go. Officers and crew were called on deck and the lines were made fast again. Fortunately it Avas a calm night, otherwise the big ship might have broken loose and done great damage to herself or to other craft or the harbour wharves. When the Tekoa had been secured, the chief officer suggested that an inspection should he made of the hands of some members of the crew who had not turned to and helped to make fast again. One man, a greaser named CJeorge Woods, was apparently fast asleep in his bunk, but the police forcibly attracted liis attention. He Was made to show his hands, when they were seen to be covered with grease of the kind that was on the mooring lines where they pass through the bitts. Woods was asked to explain how hi* hands happened to be so dirty, and he replied that he had not washed them for two days, though he "".ad iieen off duty for that period. Tt was pointed out that the greasn nn his hands was thick and fresh, and he then said he had touched a rope on coming on board the ship that afternoon. These explanations being regarded as unsatisfactory, the greaser was arrested.

Woods appeared before the Police Court this morning. when lie was charged with having attempted to destroy the Tekoa. This was withdrawn and he was then charged with having done an act tending - lirectly to the serious injury or dan:age of the Tekoa. The information was laid under section 130 of the Shipping and Seamen"s Act. Senior-Sergeant Rawle prosecuting.

It was stated by the master of the Tekoa that Woods Has a man who had given a lot of trouble on the ship. When under the influence of drink he had railed against the ship owners and stated that a man should get even with them by destroying their ships, adding that lie would do for one of them some day. However, this was taken to be but tlie ravings of alcohol, and not much attention had bren paid to it. The accused said he came aboard the slijp at six o'clock, going straight to his bunk, and did not remember going near the stern of the ship or touching the mooring lines.

"The evidence against you is not very strong, but it is sufficient to my mind, ■to convict you," sa>id the magistrate. "Yon gavp two accounts for the grease off the mooring lines being on your hands. First you said that you had not washed for two days—though you had been off duty for that time: then you declared that you had touched a rope coming on board, while it is said that the mooring lines are the only ones that are greased. It. is a very serious matter this and T cannot overlook it. The tides are very swift in Auckland. Voil might not only have wrecked the ship but other ships as well and caused lo*s of Ilfo."

Accuse,! was fined £50. in default three months imprisonment, this bein" Hie maximum punishment under the