SAILORS DESERTING.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XIX, Issue 6571, 8 December 1882, Page 4

SAILORS DESERTING.

Sailors are most strange beings, besides being almost tho most annoying of bervants. They are most fertile in inventing excuses for deserting from their fchips. One will givo as his reason that the vessel is another that the ptovifions are not good, or not kiifficic-nt, \*Llifct kbow of one man who, when beioir cb*iged with ihe offence of desertion, and comeicd on all the points that he had raised, at last tired the startling shot, that the cook put too man} plums in his duff. We need hardly say that this man got a M-ntonce which affoidcd him atnplt) time to woikuut the pnd>!rm ot how many plums there should be for each pound of flour. We verily believe a sailor would plead as a Let re>oit that ho hnd deserted he received hi* gro£ thiee times a day, whilst the Aiticles only stated that lie should h\Ve OU* »* tot" a day. .Masters of vessels, especially Euglish ones, aic continually being put to 9etious inconvenience, and o«rnci> io heavy loss, through their crews deserting. O.dy a day or two ago the Uermioue sailed after having been delayed for about a fortnight ihiough wmit i'f bands, and the oniy excise Ctpt.dn K men could m:«ke was that iht-y could get better wages here on shote th..u i-y sticking to their agreement with him. This is a most strioun , state of iiff.tits, and a very linn hand is needed, if such conduct is to be pu: down, ihe ves.-eU are simply at the mercy of theKf detei s» rs, and wed the men kuow it ; iud thi* <>niy j-ure ieiu**<iy is to give evarv man caught the fii-li-st pus>ib!e penalty of law. Jack doct not mind a. mouth in gaol. He is o;»!y ton happy to ii«» >o light a sentence to get rid of his ship ; bu: iet hiia have thief mouths iLdte id, and the cii «nc»-s ale will say, 4 * If I'm to have fSirce months, I may well go with the .ship, f«-r 1 &h.»!l at any late cet my pay during that tune, and when tho three month-* ate up 1 shall be home, ami can then legally demand my dthcluige." Ye.terd «y two men, belonging to the !»hip .Maigaret were charged with deserting, and they pleaded that the tdiip was not seaworthy, and eventually their complaint was nariowed dowti to the excuse that the deck of the loieCatftle want«*d caulking in plaCfJi to keep tr.o leakage of w.itei out. SYeneed hardly say that no Ur as the MargKict Galbiailh is concermd, a beit«T vessel is» not at present iu this harbour ; nor do we often see a fiuer or better found >hip enter this port. '1 he matter of decks leaking is a most trivial affair—one which, if true, the master, for the t»ake of hi.s cargo, would have remedied the moment his atuntien was drawn to it. At the present time there is a great deal of dissatisfaction amount the seaineu ot the Engiich shipn now in port, and it is to be hoped that the next deserter caught will have such a fentei.ee given him as will prove a salutary lesson to all others who would be deserters.