ASSAULT ON THE HIGH SEAS

Evening Star, Issue 12625, 3 October 1905, Page 6

ASSAULT ON THE HIGH SEAS

SAILOR " PLCJJS". HIS OFFICER. Eii ward Elliott Hayes was charged at the PoUle Court, before Mr Widdowspn. 5.M... this morning that being a seaman, lawfully engaged at sea on tha s.s. Rakaia, whjlf>t on the high seas- did vinlawfully assault the second mate £on September 18. Accused pleaded guilty. The facts, as stated, were that the steamer was on her way from Cape Town to Dunedin, and about midnight ibe second mate had occasion to go forward to give orders about the taking in of sail, and the accusod knocked the officer down, and struck him while lie was on the deck. The second officer gave evidence that when he went forward the men were swearing, and he told them to stop, and before he knew he was on the deck, and the accused was striking him while he was down. Accused : That's a lie. You came along and saw we could not get it in; it took charge of us, and you stood with your hands in your pockets, and swore and growled at us. Witness: It was you men who were swearing. Accused : And then you came and stood in front of me as if "yon were going to plug me. and I plugged you instead.. You rushed over to where there was a pm, but found oat it was a fixture, and afterwards I Ktruck you again, and downi yon went. Continuing his statement, accused said that be had been punished by having to stand on U;e forecastle head for two hours in the rain. The captain of the Rakaia gave evidence that he. had never bad anything against the accused before. There appeared to have been not the slightest justification for the assault. Sobk of the men were by no means good sailors, and the difficulty with the sail was owing entirely to this. The Magisrate saidi that discipline must be upheld, and; more especially on the high seas. Accused would bo convicted and sentenced to one month's imprisonment, with hard labor.