TROUBLE ON COLLIERS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 17523, 5 July 1917, Page 7

TROUBLE ON COLLIERS.

ALLEGED SEDITIOUS STRIKE* ; [Pee Press Association.] ' .1 WELLINGTON, July 4. \ At the Magistrate's Court this after-»|' noon, eight firemen belonging to a.collier] on special service, W. M. Green, G. Anscombe, Robert Hand. John Mat-! thews, W. Major, Charles M'Lean, W.f Sime and P. Fitshall, were charged with being parties to a seditious strike. • ! Mr Macassey. of the Crown Law Office, appeared tor the prosecution, and said that the proceedings were taken under Regulation 2, which provided penalties for a " seditious "strike. The steamer in question arrived in New Zea-, land in June last from Newcastle.; Some trouble arose with regard to tho cooking of meals on the boat. The trouble on the collier, which was being used to coal a Home liner, held the latter vessel up four days, costing the. owners £6O a • day extra and causing great inconvenience It was found im-, possible to get a new crew of firemen » for the collier. Counsel contended that ■ the men in concert deciding not to sign on with the chief steward had been guilty of a breach of the regulations. He would not deny that any ouo fireman if he wanted to sign off the vessel had a perfect right to da s 60 but the fault in the present casa lay in the fact that the men acted iiy concert in refusing to sign on agaift with the chief steward. , . , ? Evidence for the prosecution havun* ; been heard, the case was adjourned set:| Monday. v • \\