SEAMEN DESERTERS

Grey River Argus, 17 May 1946, Page 2

SEAMEN DESERTERS

100 in Six Months

DESIRE TO SETTLE IN N.Z.

WELLINGTON, May 16.

“We have had 100 deserters from six ships in the last six months,” said Mr Arthur W. Miller, representative of the Shaw, Savill and Albion Company, in the Magistrate’s Court today, when giving evidence on ship desertion after two stewards had pleaded guilty of deserting from the Akaroa. “That is from my company alone. I believe there has been many from other companies also, so it is definitely on the increase.”

Mr Miller said the two accused were two of 14 who left the Akaroa which had a complement of 130. There was considerable difficulty in replacing them. New Zealanders had been mostly employed and they had been signed on only for the trip to England and would have to be repatriated as passengers.

"They want to settle here and this is their way of doing it,” said Mr A. M. Goulding, S.M. “I have already expressed my views. It is a matter for the Legislature to deal with.” The courts, he added, were powerless to do more than lay within the law. /

Each man was sentenced to a month’s imprisonment.