GREY MAGISTRATE COURT

Grey River Argus, 27 June 1914, Page 6

GREY MAGISTRATE COURT

-I Before Messrs W. R. Kettle and' T. Ring, J.P.s) i DISOBEDIENCE OF ORDERS. On the- formation of WilLam M.cGavin Muir (captain of the.s.s. Ngakuta), Thomas Rudder and E. Connolly were charged with wilful ■ -disobedience of a lawful conimarfd while on the hierh seas.en June 23rd.' , Mr. J. Hannan appeared- on^ behalf of the defendants, pleaded guilty. Coun&cl explained that the boat left Lvteltton on Hhe date stated in the information at about' 5 p.m. , Tb,e two deefndants, with . another firelhan, had been ashoce and. arrived later They admitted having had drink, bitt-were not turned to go on :ivatdh till 8 J p.m. However, .in consequence of -their mate' being reported unfit for his work, the two defendants were called to go on watch at 6 p.m. -This they had refused r to do, contending that their mate was, as "fit" as tjiey' were." The men were working- under '.ag^awardj - and, as it did not deal jSppcifically with such cases, the defendants were under the impression that they could not be compelled to go on watch befor-e the .appointed time (8 p.m.). The informant and llie^ chief engineer gave evidence and stated -that the men at the time were liable to obey a call is ' such' being a' lawful rommand, especially as the call' had been made in the interests" and safety "of the »ship. A third man summoned, howevier, had not refused: ■ Tn answer to the "Bench, it was stated that ,had ,the -defendants gone on watch at 6 p.m., they' would have been "on till midnight, and for the' two 'extra , hours would have been paid at overtime rates. The .defendants were good, men_, hard-working and willing, except on the particular occasion ,in fquestion. 1 The chief engineer, said he "would not say the defendants were sober; they were not under the influence of drink' so far as he could -se%."' . *The~ Bench said it was regrettable that men who had been given si&b.

good characters should thus spoil their record by refusing duty. Both were liable to a fine up to. £20 or a month's imprisonment. -Accused were fined ;£i each s £fnd undertook to sign an order on the captain for the amount.