A SERIOUS MATTER

Dominion, Volume 17, Issue 292, 27 August 1923, Page 6

A SERIOUS MATTER

MARAMA’S STOKERS SENT TO PRISON “FANATICAL UNIONISM” By Telegraph— Press Association. Auckland, August 25. Thirty-one members of the stokehold crew of the Marama were each sentenced at the Police Court to one month’s imprisonment for combining on the high seas to disobey a lawful command of the master. When the Marama was about to leave the wharf at 11 o’clock yesterday a representative of the union named Flynn discovered that one man engaged had no certificate of discharge as a fireman. On behalf of the men he mounted the bridge and complained to the captain. In his evidence Captain Clift said that when Flynn mounted the bridge the vessel was in motion. The lines had been cast off. He ordered the man down. Flyn came up again later when the ship was near the channel buoys, and the captain said be would deal with the matter when further out. When three miles out the ship almost stopped for want of steam and the stokehold crew were mustered. Each man individually refused duty. . The Marama then put back, the junior engineers stoking. The refusal being persisted in, all the'men were arrested by the waterside police. Henry Flynn, the delegate, said he mounted the bridge when the gangway was still out, at 10.45 a.m. The vessel was not under way. When thecaptain heard his complaint ho said: ‘‘l’ve got nothing whatever to do with unionism. If you don’t get off .the bridge I’ll gaol you.” Flyn replied: “Go your hardest then.” Mr. Holmden raised the defence that the ship was not on the high seas. The men decided not to work when the vessel was at the wharf. Mr. Bagnallj for the prosecution, submitted that there had been a combination, agreed npon when at the wharf, but persisted in on the high £<? The Magistrate (Mr. Poynton) said it was a serious matter that men, for a triviality, could hold up a big ship with 240 passengers. It was unionism of a fanatical nature, and the men were cutting their own throats. They had nothing to gain by such action, and all friends of unionism would be much distressed. The matter could have been dealt with in Sydney on the arrival of the ship. In » passing the sentence, he said: “I don’t want to give you twelve months, but you must bo severely nunished.” On the charge of individually disobeying commands, each man was convicted and ordered to pay a share of the costs of the prosecution.