Skipper Refused To Shift Tug

Press, Volume C, Issue 29653, 25 October 1961, Page 16

Skipper Refused To Shift Tug

(New Zealand Press Association)

AUCKLAND, October 24

Mr H. Jenner Wily, S.M., said today that the manag-ing-director of Auckland Water Transport, Ltd., showed a complete lack of appreciation for anyone else's feelings when he refused to move a tug to allow the passenger ferry Baroona to leave Auckland on time on August 8. The defendant, Harry Lancelot Hugh Julian, was fined on two charges laid against him by the Auckland Harbour Board

The board alleged that on August 8 Julian wilfully disobeyed an order by the harbourmaster to move the tug Otapiri from its position alongside the barge Moehau to prevent risk or accident

to shipping. Also that he obstructed or impeded navigation on the harbour by failing or refusing to move the tug to allow the Baroona to pass. Julian, represented by Mr I. Barker, pleaded not guilty He was convicted and fined £35 on each charge with costs and witnesses’ expenses totalling £3O IQs. The board alleged that through Julian’s failure to move the tug. the Baroona was delayed for over an hour when due to leave on a trip to Waiheke. About 125 passengers were on board the Baroona at the time. The Magistrate said the act of moving the tug would not have taken more than about 10 minutes, but Julian re-

fused to do this “for a reason which is very, very difficult for the Court to understand.”

The Magistrate referred to statements made by Julian in evidence that his reason for not moving the tug was that he was carrying out “somewhat of an emergency operation” on the coaster Pakura—both the tug and the barge were alongside this s&P, discharging sand into The Court dismissed a charge that Julian disobeyed a lawful order of the harbourmaster in that he failed or refused to move. The board withdrew a charge that Julian failed or refused to obey the order to move when, in the opinion of the harbourmaster, it was necessary.