"REEVE THE HEEL ROPE."

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LII, Issue 168, 13 July 1918, Page 4

"REEVE THE HEEL ROPE."

A D-ISOBEYEI> ORDER LEADS TO COURT PROCEEDINGS.

A short and sharp affray on board one of the vessels in Wellington .har■boW, say® the Poist, had its- sequel at the Magistrate's Court) this tmoruing,, when William. Norcott, a.- seaman was charged with having disobeyed the. lawful commands of the mate of the vessel, and also with having assaulted: John Irving, second mate of the ship. Norcott, himself, /paid an early visit to the office of the Magistrate's Court, before the sitting of the Court, and laid ,an information for assault against Irving. The facts of the case, as outlined by Inspector Marsaek, were that Norcott, while /up loft , working: at a topmast iwhiclhi was •being placed l in position 1 , received an order, to "Reeve the heel Tope" an order which seamenfully understand and landsmen can best .guess at. Ihatead of attending .to the •command, Norcott came down the rigging - and, after using most objectionable language, struck,,the mate', who retaliated with rather disastrous Tesults to the seaman,, as evidenced by his general appearance and a very black eye. The evidence, given, by officers and' memibersi of the orew and some wa'tersiders who were working on the vessel at the time, was of a very contradictory nature, but, after reviewing the statements' made, Mr F. V.- Frazer, S.M., said that he was inclined tcT'thmk' that the second mate went beyond imerely defending himself when assaulted, but the "matter must be looked at from a v com<monsense as well as from a legal point of view, and .probably the "ftest thing to have done -was to settle the trouble there and then : by showing who was the- best. man. He was satisfied that the firsj; .blow, had been struck by Norcott. A conviction was entered .on the charge of having - disobeyed the command, and Norcott was ordered to ipay. a _fin© of £52 and costs. The information and' cross-information for assault- were dismissed. Mr "J. Scott' appeared for Norcott.