DESERTING SHIP

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 68, 17 September 1925, Page 6

DESERTING SHIP

IS IT'WINKED, AT?

STATEMENT BY A FIREMAN.

<ii miaaira.—sunn to tn nn.)

'•'.■;' •' ■>'•' DUNEDIN, ; This.Day".', As- the Courts: in seaport towns are not infrequently / .called . upon jto mete out statuary' punishment to ship deserters,. it was a rather piquant situation that arose in the Dunedin Police Court yesterday when a defendant in a maintenance case mentioned to Mr. Bartholomew,':S.M,, as part of his defence that he; liad deserted his ship some time ago, making at the same time suggestions that certain authorities had connived at this..step. ■■; The case was taken under, the; facilities, for 1 enforcement of the Act; the Magistrate being asked to confirm>Vani maintenance order..-,•'.;■•'> ",,•'■:■>■ ■'.'■'■ .'■...*'.,"■■' ■■ .-.' ' ■

Defendant said:: that Ihja wi^e -had agreed to .come; to 'New Zealand, but had changed^ her mind; She fully' understood thathe was going to desert his ship, the; De,voni; /; ■ '•' .'■ ■:■' ■''"• '■"•'• ■■■••v- 1 > /-, The Magistrate asked if the shipping company raised .no .objection when the, defendant'deserted. .':'; I

■ "There: was no warrant sent put for my arrest,";replied the defendant. :■. Proceeding to 'explain how he effected his: get-away' defendant; who was a fireman on the ship, said he asked theengineer 1 for his pay when the boat reached New Zealand, ,but this 'was refused on the ground-that he had- signed. on for the r'all round trip." -Defendant added that he then explained the situation to the engineer, who, informed him he would ."put nothing-in the way." "They can always get, men at the same rate,'' added defendant, '.'and, besides, they make on it by not giving you your VBf-" ■'■,-.'' ■■:■:*■:■>■■■■ :;,,:■ -• ' ;.-■.•■.. ' Were you sure that you would get away with ,it,"* asked the. Magistrate, referring again to the reputed understanding between the defendant and his wife. .'• . -. : . '•,■-'.; -' ■-.. , :,-'.' .. ■:; ■. .

"Yes,":was the reply,: "and she. fully understood that." Another, man, said defendant, whose' wife. had' since cpme to New Zealand, had deserted from, the same ship at the same time, and had madevhis home in Auckland..'