MARAMA'S STOKERS.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLII, Issue XLII, 27 August 1923, Page 5

MARAMA'S STOKERS.

SENT TO GAOL

(BY TELEGRAPH—PEEBB ASSOCIATION ) AUCKLAND, Aug. 25. liurty-one members of the stokehold crew ot the Marama were each sentenced m the Police Court to one j month s imprisonment for combining on the high seas to disobey the lawful commands of the master when the Marama ; was about to leave the wharf yester- | day. a representative of the union, JJ lynn, discovered that one man engaged was not a member of the union and had [no certificate of discharge as fireman. !Un behalf of the men he mounted the bridge and complained to the captain In, his evidence Captain Cliff eaid the vessel was then in motion, the lines having been cast off. He ordered the Jnan down. Flynn came up again later when the ship was near the channel buoys, and the captain said he'would deal with the matter further out. W Then "three miles out the shin almost stopped for want of steam, and the stokehold crew were mustered. Each man individually refused duty. The Marama then put back, the junior engineers stoking. .The refusal was still persisted in. All were arrested by the waterside police. Henry Flynn, delegate, said he. mounted the bridge when the gangway was still out at 10.45 a.m. The vessel was not under way. When the captain heard the complaint he said: "I've got nothing whatever to do with unionism. If you won't get off the bridge I'll goal you." Flynn replied: "Go your hardest then!"

Mr. Holmden raised the defence that it was not on the high seas when the men decided not to work, but when the vessel was at the wharf. Mr. Bagnell, forthe prosecution, submitted there had been combination agreed upon at the wharf and persisted in on the high seas. The magistrate (Mr. Poynton) said it was a serious matter that the men for a triviality could hold uj> a big ship and 240 passengers. It was unionism of a fanatical nature, and the men were cutting their own throa>ts. They had nothing to gain by such action. All friends of unionism would be much distressed by their action. The matter could have been dealt with in Sydney on arrival. In passing sentence be said: "I don't want to give you 12 months, but you must be severely punished." On a charge of individually disobeying commands each was convicted and ordered to share the costs of the prosecution.