REFUSED DUTY.

Press, Volume LXV, Issue 19676, 20 July 1929, Page 7

REFUSED DUTY.

TROUBLE ON CANADIAN CONQUEROR. j FIREMEN SENT TO GAOL. [THE PBESS Special Service] AUCKLAND, July 19. Four firemen from the Canadian Conqueror, which was forced to return j to port yesterday, appeared at the Magistrate's Court this morning, each ' being charged with combining to disobey the lawful commands of the master while the Canadian Conqueror was on the high seas. They were John i?'lynn (42), John Isaac Mcllwaine (38), ] Angus Chisholm (23), and Arthur Lar- j tuour (33). I Mr Terry, who represented Captain Flocking, master of the ship, said the offence was a most serious one, for the men acted with defiance. An hour alter the ship left Auckland there was no sign of the four men in the stoke- j hold. They were due to commence j duty at four o'clock, but thev refused j to turn to. Both the captain and chief engineer asked the men what I they proposed to do. Larmour, who j was the ringleader, said he did not propose to go on duty. The other three men said they would support Larmour. "The men made a casual observation that the ship was one man short, but this was not so," said Mr Terry. 'The vessel had her proper complement, and the charges are serious breaches. They should be treated as such." Mr Terry added that because of putting back to port the shipping company was put to needless expense. The Magistrate (Mr Hunt): Not only that, but there was a danger of Counsel for the firemen said they admitted having refused duty. "However," he added, "they offer the statement that the chief engineer has treated them as dogs. They say he called them names and threatened to place them in irons." Mr Hunt: The same old story. Why did they not prosecute him, then ? Mr lerry said that when arrested bv the police the men made no mention of these allegations against the chief engineer. Mr Hunt said the law was solicitous for the welfare of seamen at all times. It was also jealous of the disobedience of a master's lawful commands, and punished such offences heavily. Each of the four men would be sentenced to one month's imprisonment. The shipping company would have to ship them away again. , Mr Terry pointed out that two of the men were New Zealanders, who had signed on In Canada. They might not want to lie sent back. Th« Magistrate said he would make uo order for their repatriation. „ "I won't sail on this ship again," said • another member of the crew of the Canadian Conqueror, Ernest Roy Ives (26), a greaser, who admitted beng absent without leave on July 18th. The agent of the companv said Tves nacked up his effects and left the ship. He was a prohibited immigrant. Mr Hunt sent Ives to gaol for one month, ordering him to be placed on board the shin before it 6ails finally from New Zealand.