WOMEN ON SHIPS

Press, Volume C, Issue 29523, 26 May 1961, Page 10

WOMEN ON SHIPS

Prosecution Of Seamen Urged

Seamen who enticed women aboard ships and harboured them against the captain's orders should be brought before the courts and tried, and If found guilty, should be adequately punished, said Mr Raymond Femer. SM„ in the Magistrate’s Court yesterday, when sentencing four girls on charges of being found unlawfully aboard the mv. Sussex at Lyttelton on May

“These cases are typical of many which frequently come before the Courts. The facts follow a fairly familiar pattern and the mischief is not easily checked.” the Magistrate said.

“When the police apprehend women found' illegallv on ships they must be brought before the Courts and in due time if guilty they are convicted and punished.

“Crews Guilty" “It is quite obvious, however. that in many eases members of ships’ crews are equally guilty with the women concerned,, and steps should be taken to bring such crew members to book for their part in these affairs.” said the Magistrate. “Shipmasters issue orders to regulate the visiting traffic aboard ships. Gangways are well lighted and furnished with notices forbidding entrance to the ship without authority and orders are issued to the crew forbidding them to have visitors aboard at unauthorised times and without permission.

“The facts of the present case show that women are invited aboard at night by crew members who in breach of orders continue to get not only the women aboard but once aboard to harbour them there. As we see in the present case, members of the crew steered a group of women round the ship to avoid their anprehension by the police and eventually placed them in a ship’s locker to conceal them. The evidence shows their complicity was complete. . "Adequately Punished"

"It may be the shipmasters have difficulties in enforcing their orders to the crew in regard to these matters. If this is so, I make the suggestion that where n member or members of the crew are found offending and contrary to the shipmaster’s orders harbouring these women aboard ship, consideration should be given by the master to laving informations under the Shipping and Seaman Act. 1952. section 476, against offending seamen so that they may be brought before our civil courts and there tried and. if guilty, adequately punished. “It is high time that every feasible step is taken to abate and control this social nuisance.” the Magistrate said.