S.M. Sets Course For Shipping Coys

Northern Advocate, 19 December 1949, Page 5

S.M. Sets Course For Shipping Coys

WELLINGTON, Mon. (P.A.)— Stating that he accepted the fact that shipping companies were put to some expense to repatriate replacements for deserters, Mr J. Hessell, S.M., said in the Magistrate’s Court today that, because of numerous other reasons, he did not think it desirable that ship deserters should be callec on to pay half the cost of repatriating replacements. Asked by counsel for a shipping company that was prosecuting two deserters in court today whether the decision would have a bearing on future cases of desertion, Mr Hessell said he did not know what other magistrates would be doing. The magistrate’s statement followed a plea by counsel that the usual monetary penalty of £SO to be paid to a shipping company should be imposed. t Counsel said New Zealanders had to be taken on to replace the two deserters, and that the shipping company had had to undertake to repatriate the New Zealanders. The magistrate said he was not prepared to consider making an order for such payment. SETTLED DOWN TO GOOD WORK

Commenting that the two accused appeared to have settled down to good work in New Zealand, the magistrate admitted them to probation for 12 months and ordered them to pay solicitors’ fees and court costs.

Accused, both of whom pleaded, guilty to deserting the Trojan Star on November 30, were George William Thomson and Dennis Arthur Purnell. Both were described as stewards.