STORM DELAYED.

Press, Volume LXIV, Issue 19326, 2 June 1928, Page 20

STORM DELAYED.

TROUBLE OVER ARTICLES. As a result of trouble with the seamen in the Storm, which was scheduled to leave Timaru yesterday for Bluff, the vessel has been held up. The Storm was due to sail at noon yesterday with a full general cargo for Bluff, but prior to the hour of departure Captain L. B. Sheppard was notified by the seamen that they would not take the vessel to sea. The difficulty arose oyer the articles, which expired at midnight last night. The men bound by the articles declined to sail, as at the time of expiry the vessel would be at sea. The men were addressed by Captain Sheppard, who pointed out that by refusing to put to sea they were obstructing the ship, and would be refusing duty. So far as he was concerned he was but carrying out the law. They would in the meantime be "logged" for refusal of duty. In reply, the spokesman of the men concerned said that they were not refusing duly, and they then returned to their quarters. The firemen were then approached, and one of them, in reply to a question by the captain, asked "How can we take the ship to sea without sailors?" Finally he admitted that he and his mates were "with the others." The local agents of the Canterbury Steamship Company, Messrs D. C. Turnbull and Co., stated that although the articles might expire when a vessel was at sea, it was customary for the crew to stand by the ship until she had reached a port and had discharged her cargo. The objection to this procedure, according to the seamen, was on the grounds that the award laid down that if the articles expired while a vessel was at sea, and a member of the crew were injured, he would not be entitled to more than one day's pay.

The trouble was overcome last evening and the ship will sail this morning.