TROUBLE ON THE PAKEHA

Evening Post, Volume LXXXVIII, Issue 76, 26 September 1914, Page 4

TROUBLE ON THE PAKEHA

GERMANS AMONGST BRITISH CREW. (B7 TELEGI- ATM.— PRESS ASSOCIATION.) ApCKLAiVP, 25fch September. Some difficulty has arisen on board the steamer Pakeha, which arrived at Auckland several days ago from London, on account of the presence amongst the crew of an Austrian and six Germans. The British firemen and greasers on the boat | yesterday afternoon informed the captain that they would not work while foreigners belonging to nations with which Britain was at war remained on the,'ship. The captain endeavoured to persuade the men to turn to, bub they maintained their position, and the captain theii took their names and had warrants issued for their arrest for refusing to obey his law»fiil commands. Th}s afternoon, when the' arrested firemen were brought before Mr. E. C. Cutten, S.M., Mi. Bagnall, for the captain, said that, arrangements had been made to discharge the Germans. As a matter of fact, the captain had entered into arrangements to that 6n d before the trouble arose, and Ue told the men so yesterday, but they lefused to accept his assurance. His difficulty was that it entailed an extra cost of £2^o, for which he would be personally liable if he had not got the company's sanction. His Worship said" that in the present state of things he was sure no Court wqnld copvict the^ men, though their act had been rather impulsive, and he suggested that the charges be withdrawn. The captain said he would withdraw ths charges if the men gave an undertaking to go back to the ship and resume work peaceably. The men with one voice said they would, so long as there were no -Germans in the crew. So the charges were withdrawn.