AXE HURLED.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 238, 7 October 1936, Page 7

AXE HURLED.

ASSAULT ON LINER. i STRUGGLE AT WHEEL. SHIP'S ZIG-ZAG COURSE. VIOLENT QUARTERMASTER. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) CHRISTCHUECH, this clay. With the ship following a zig-zag course, the third officer and the quartermaster struggled at the wheel of the New Zealand Shipping Company's liner Kemuera as the vessel was passing Caps Campbell oil Monday night. Later a ship s axe, thrown by the quartermaster, 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 the Police Court this morning, charged with assaulting the third mate, Harold Hill, 011 the high seas. Lundy was sentenced to three months' hard labour by Mr. E. C. Levvey, and was ordered to be placed 011 his ship at the end of the term. The policc said the Eemuera sailed from Wellington at 5 o'clock 011 Monday. Lundy was due 011 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 ail accurate bearing on Cape Campbell.

Captain Called. Lundy refused to go, but after a struggle, was put out of the wheel house. Lundy returned, and the mate went into the captain's cabin to call the captain, and there was a crash as an axe came through the panel. Hill, in evidence, said that soon after Lundy took the aj'lieel he found the ship off her course. * A chart produced by Hill indicated that a zig-zag course had been taken, and Hill said he found it impossible to get another bearing with Lundy steering. In evidence, Lundy said the mate told him the ship was off her course, and his reply was that he was bringing her back. He claimed the mate struck him and stupefied him. After he had been put off the bridge, he said, he saw an axe, and the sight of it tempted him to threaten the third officer. In reply to the magistrate, Lutidy declared that his mind was blank from the time he alleged he was struck outside the wheel house until he found himself in the captain's cabin.