CHARGE AGAINST A CHIEF ENGINEER.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 576, 3 August 1909, Page 5

CHARGE AGAINST A CHIEF ENGINEER.

• j < , A NAUTICAL COURT. ,• -itsii (By -Telegraph.—Proas Association )' ■■ ■ 1 Chrlstchureh, August 2, ■ <S:M.,\ and Captain Sconlbr and Mr. ,W. J. LeCren (assessors) 1 sat as' a Nautical. Court .to investigate,, the charges of ■ drunkenness ■ against , Joseph Bradbury, late ohief engineer of 1 , the Storm-. Mr Stnuger,. K.C.) appeared on behalf of the .Collector of Customs, Messrs. V- K. Hunt and- Mr. 'Gresson for. the respondent; .and ,>fr". ; p6ugall'.for the .captain', of the' Storm.' .. rMrv. Stringer said , :the ■ case • hud been brought under Section- 239 of .theSliipping and beatoon's Act, .1908,- the. question being 'whether. the-first, engmeer'.'of l the" Storm was' guilty. of drunkennesswithinthe.', meaning of the Act, such drunkenness being responsible for an accident to tho ship ■ ■'< '; Captain "Wood, the master of this Storm produced the log-book. ' ' ; . . ,• ' ' • • Mr. Hunt. said he thought tho procedure was mute wrong,, and suflicient authority had not been obtained from' tho Minister, He submitted . that the log-book was of no: value, .as.-'the" entries had not .been !made within a: specified •: time/,, namely, before 'tho; vessel reaclied jwrt. The present case'.was'the-.first : of. it& kind beard in New- Zealand, as other nauticaU inquiries had arisen'out of casualties. : : His. Worship intimated that he would allow the caso to proceed, and. evidence was? taken. ; _ Joseph Bradbury, respondent, produced his discharges, for -the past thirteen, years which, with the present exception, were good. Ho donied all tho charges of drunkenness,, . v' After legal ; argument,.his Worship said ho would deliver his decision at 10.30 .to-morrow