CARGO BROACHING

Evening Post, Issue 88, 12 April 1924, Page 6

CARGO BROACHING

SENTENCES ON, SEAMEN ■ CONDEMNED. ■ .

The following resolution dealing with sentences imposed on seamen for cargo broaching has been passed, by the- executive of the . Federated Seamen's Union :— _ , . ■■■ "Tliat the head office executive of the Federated. Seamen's "Union of New Zealand, while in no way condoning the broaching of ships' cargo or other theft, strongly and most emphatically protest against the conspicuous, vindictive sentence of twelve months' imprisonment with hard labour imposed on each of three members of the crew of the Atua ori 28th March, by the- Stipendiary Magistrate at Napier for the broaching of cargo to the value of some £20 (none of which had left the ship, and all was recovered and restored), as being out of all proportion to the offence itself, and certainly not in line ,with sentences imposed for similar and other offence's of theft that have occurred in'the Dominion during the p*ast two and a half years, one of which involved over £2000 of public moneys, the sentence imposed being two years' reformatory treatment, while the offender was released before half the sentence had been served. That the matter be represented to the Hon. Minister of Justice, and he be strongly urged to consider the advisability of at once remitting the major portion of the sentence, and that his attention be directed to the fact that Mr. Dyer, the Magistrate in question, in dealing with some twelve cases of alleged strike against seamen as the outcome of the 1922 dispute imposed a fine of £5 and £1 6s costs in each case, while Magistrates at Wellington, Nelson,- Dunedin. Auokland, and other places imposed fines of £2 or £3 for exactly the same alleged offence. That the executive thank Mr. B. J. Dolan, solicitor, Napier, for his excellent defence of the three men, and particularly his references to the legal points involved under the Crimes Act and the Shipping and Seamen Act towards that end." ■