SIX WEEKS.

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 18485, 12 September 1925, Page 16

SIX WEEKS.

A STIFFER SENTENCE.

WELLINGTON STRIKERS,

(rr.T SS ASSOCIATION TELKGKAIC '

WELLINGTON. September 11

This morning; at the Magistrate's Court, many seamen were prosecuted for unlawful absence from their ships, and for combining with other members of the crew so as to impede the progress of the voyage of the ship. Mr C. 11. Orr Walker, S.M., was on the Bench. : r The ease of tiie first defendant, C. V . Langden, an able seaman iti the Arawa, was taken as a test. Counsel for defendants said they wer prepared to plead guilty to the first charge of being absent without leave, it the other ciiarges were withdrawn. This procedure had been lollowed in Auckland.

Mr O'Leary said his instructions wore to press both charges, irrespective of what had been done in Auckland. The captain and chief officer of the vessel gave evidence. The former said he had assembled the crew and addressed them for 10 minutes. He also read the clause in the articles governing wages. Mr O'LeaA- said there had been a. delinite combination of defendants to prevent the ship going to sea unless the demands were granted. The Magistrate said he had no doubt the offence had lieen committed. Mr Toogood, for the defence, said the defendants would formally plead guiltv on the first charge. A defence on the second charge would be submitted. The strike was the only course the men had against what they deemed a grievance. Mr O'Learv said defendants were the first men to start the strike or give a lead in »ew Zealand, and shoul I be dealt with more severely than those a; Auckland and New Plymouth., He I asked for a sentence of impnsoin:ei.t ! on each defendant. | . ; ■-• Flouting the Law. The Magistrate, in imposing sentence, said that throughout counsel for the defence's plea, he had not noticed the slightest indication that the men were prepared to go back to work. In determining the punishment a good deal depended on the attitude of the defendants. In Auckland a certain penalty had been imposed, and there was no question : but that the defendants knew, their position, yet they had not offered' to go back to work. At New Plvmouih a more severe penalty had been imposed yesterday, and now there was a batch of men before the Court in Wellington, charged with the same offence, if an offer had been made to go back to work, that would have beeh taken into consideration, but the men seemed determined to flout the law, and they had shown no good reason for-doing so. The offence was a serious one front "the Court's point of view'when'the law was flouted. The offence was causing very great Ipsa to the whole community here and elsewhere. Such an offence must be punished in the nrbper manner. On the first, charge all-the defendants would be convicted, as all were apparently in the same position, and ordered to forfeit two days' pay, and in addition ten days' pay, /as they had been absent without leave from August 35th until the date of the information. Thev would also '. be sentenced to six weeks' imprisonment with hard labour on the .first charge, and the same on the second charge, the sentences to be concurrent. BENICIA STILL IDLE. SEAMEN REFUSE DUTY. (press association telegeak.) , AUCKLAND, September H. Eight deck.hands belonging to the Benicia who appeared before the Magistrate (Jin Wednesday, and were ordered to return to their vessel, have not. done anv work since they went on board, .consequently they will appear before the Magistrate on Monday to answer «. charge of continuous disobedience, of orders and combining with others to delay the vessel. The crews of the other vessels are graduallv drifting back, and while they will work in port they are firm in their refusal not to take the ships to sea unless wages are restored to their previous basis. HbRORATA'S CREW. SUMMONSES SERVED., Summonses were served on the members of the crew of the Hororata early yesterday morning before they were out of their bunks. Very-early a constable mounted guard at the ship's gangway before any of the strikers were awake, and at a "quarter to seven another constable, with a brief-bag full of Hue I papers, boarded the ship. Those of the men who were not already awake were wakened and each received two summonses. Each of the men is chargea as follows: — That being a seaman lawfully engaged on the s.s. Hororata he was guilty of continued disobedience to lawful commands. The second charge is:— That being a seaman lawfully engaged oii the s.s. Hororata (accused) did combine with other members of the crew of the said ship to impede the progress of the voyage of the said ship. The cases will be heard at the Lyt- ! telion Magistrate's Court on Wednesl day next.