STRIKE ECHOES

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 101, 26 October 1925, Page 8

STRIKE ECHOES

CORINTHIC SEAMEN

FIGHT IN SELF-DEFENCE.

Echoes of the recent shipping strike were heard in the Magistrate's Court this morning, when Francis Charles Leslie lowers and Albert Edward Watts, of,- the s.s. Corintbie, were charged [bef ore Mr. W. G. Riddell, S.M., with fighting in the streets with John Macdonald (s.s. Tainui) and Alfred Francis Christmas (s.s. Arawa), respectively, on Saturday evening. The Corinthie seamen pleaded not guilty, saying that they fought only in self-defence. Macdonald pleaded guilty, and Christmas not guilty.

■Powers said that he was in the. Central Hotel bar about 5.20 p.m. on* Saturday, when- Macdonald came in,and, declaring that all the men on the Corinthie wore "scabby — '5,," struck him on the jaw. They were both put out, and he merely defended hhnsef against Macdonad's attacks. The constable who arrested the men said that both bore marks of the fray, and their faces were bleeding. They had caused a large crowd to correct.

Macdonald was fined 40s, in default seven, days' imprisonment, and Fowors 10s, or twelve hours'.

The constable who arrested Watts and Christmas stated that they were fighting in the "lane by'Barrett's Hotel, with their coats off; and sleeves rolled up, about 5.00 p.m. on Saturday. Watts said that he was in the hotel bar when a man he knew on the Arawa asked him, "Why didn't you come out on. strike?" and Christinas then, without a word, struck him on- the jaw. They adjourned to the lane and fought it out.

Christmas, who had only been released on Saturday, after doing six weeks' imprisonment for striking work, and whose ship had sailed without him some days before, contended that Watts began the fight. Watts and Christmas were lined' 20s each, in default three days', imprisonment.