DEPORTATION BOARD.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 19125, 17 September 1925, Page 11

DEPORTATION BOARD.

SITTINGS IN SYDNEY. ALLEGATIONS BY THE CROWN. A LIST OF " OVERT ACTS." During the first sitting of the Deportation Board in Sydney application was made on behalf of Thomas Walsh and Jacob Johnson for details regarding the "overt acts" alleged in the summonses to have been committed by them. A copy of particulars was supplied later to the respondents by Mr. G. H. Castle, Crown Solicitor for the Commonwealth. setting out the "overt acts" on which reliance will be placed, as follow: — (1) August 20, 1925: Acts, conduct, speeches and statements by Thomas Walsh and Jacob Johnson at the meeting of British seamen at the Communist Hall. (2) August 21, 1925: (a) Acts, conduct, speeches and statements by Thomas Walsh and Jacob Johnson at meetings of British seamen at the Communist Hall and Town Hall; (b) preparation, signing and despatch by the said Thomas Walsh of telegrams in reference to the said strike.

(3) August 24, 1925: Acts, conduct, speeches and statements of Thomas Walsh and Jacob Johnson at meetings of British seamen and reading cablegrams from Havelock Wilson. (4) August 25, 1925: Statement given by Thomas Walsh to various newspapers. (5) British seamen coming out on strike at various times and statements in connection therewith.

(6) May, 1919, to August, 1919: Strike of" seamen, involving loss of wages, and all strikes of seamen subsequent thereto. (7) Acts, declarations, documents and events in connection with the conviction of Thomas Walsh on July 18 and July 22. 1919. (8) February 25, 1921: Agreement by Federated Seamen's Union of Australasia for abolition of job control, and subsequent conduct and statements of Thomas Walsh and Jacob Johnson in reference thereto.

(9) Editing and publishing by Thomas Walsh of th<i Australian Seamen's Journal, especially the issue of June 15, 1925. (10) January 23, ,1925: Undertaking given to Mr. Justice Powers by Thomas Walsh to abandon job control and his breach thereof. (11) June 5, 1925: Acts, statements and declarations of Thomas Walsh before Mr. Justice Webb. (12) Acts, declarations, documents and events in connection with the conviction of Thomas Walsh on February 10, 1925. Acts, declarations, documents and events in connection with the intervention by Jacob Johnson in the matter of the desertion of one Addy from the steamer Chillagoo, and. also in the matter of one Thomas Campbell and his membership of the Federated Seamen's Union of Austrsflasia. Constitutional Aspect. Tho proceedings before the board up till the departure of the last mail from Sydney consisted mainly of argument over the constitutional position' of the board and from Mr. A. Watt, K.C., who is defending Walsh, objections to the speeches of the Commonwealth Prime Minister on the deportation issue. _ He j asserted that Mr. Bruce was committing contempt of Court and bitter language was heard. The second, sitting was held on Saturday, September 5, several days earlier than* had been intended, in order to obtain the evidence of witnesses about to sail.' Henry G, B. Field, master of the Surrey, stated that his crew informed him when* they refused duty that they were acting on the instructions of the Australian Seamen's Union. Cross-examined by Mr. Watt, witness said there was more accommodation for the crew sinco the Surrey was converted into an oil burner than formerly. The seamen received £lO a month as wages and the firemen £lO ,10s. About 60 per cent, of the men had dependants. The men signed on for two years. To Mr. Lamb, K.C., who appeared for the Crown, witness said he notified the crew about the reduction in wages at Townsville. No trouble or delays had occurred at the other two ports of call before Sydnev—Port-Alma and Brisbane. Hugh G. Staunton, R.N.K., master of the Orient Company's Orama, said that on the evening of August 21 cargo was being loaded at Sydney. He had no trouble with the men until they arrived in Sydney. At .4 p.m. on August 22 loading ceased—the scheduled time for the departure of the vessel. The crew refused duty on August 21. Foreign Ships Sail. Mr. Lamb: Did not a German ship—the Konigsburg—leave Sydney without any trouhle about the same time you ware held up ? Witness: Yes. " , Mr.^Lamb: Did not a Norwegian ship leave too? Witness: Yes. Mr. Lamb : And a Dfrtch ship, too ? Witness: I do not know. Mr. Watt (to Mr. Lamb): That is a filthy suggestion to make. The Chairman (to Mr. Lamb) : I think you are entitled, to ask the question. Mr. Watt: There is a perfectly logical explanation why they left, and there is none for your introducing it here. At a subsequent sitting Mr. Lamb said that following a (meeting held on August 20, the following telegram was sent to the various Australian ports l : Mass meeting of crews of deep-sea ships in port last nifcht resolved to decline to do any more wo;rk while the ships are in Australian ports until ample guarantees from owners in England are forthcoming that the proposed reduction of £1 in wages shall not be insisted upon. All negotiations for a settlement of the dispute must be conducted through tho Seamen's Union of Australasia. The resolution calls on the crews of all oversea ships in all other ports to follow the example of those here, and hold meetinea to endorse our action. Don't finalise arrangements for settlement without consulting me. (Signed) Walsh, general president" Mr, Lamb quoted from tho judgment delivered by the President of tbe Commonwealth Court of Conciliation and Arbitration (Mr. Justice Powers) on February 6, 1925, in respect of the applications for the cancellation of the registration of the Federated Seamen's Union of Australia, in which His Honor dismissed the application upon the union giving an undertaking to settle future by conference or the Court. Mr. Lamb then quoted from the notes of the proceedings when the matter was again before the deputy-President (Sir John" Quick) on June *5. The transcript is as follows: — His Honor: I order you to supply crews for those two vessels, Mr. Malsh: With all due resrwet. I most declinte to do so or to advise the men to His' Honor: You hear my ofder that your tmior. shall supply crews for those two vessels. You understand lam ordering you to do it, and you understand that you are de<!linintr. Mr. Walsh: We must decline. Delay Costs £BBO Per Day. William Jermyn, master of the steamer Thernistocles, described the strike on that vessel. All the crew, he said, were signed on in London and on August 1 were to be subjected to a reduction of £1 per month. The reduction was universal, excepting that in the case of officers! it was to be greater. Cross-examined farther, Captain Jermyn said that the cost of taking his ship to London under the higher rates of pay would be about £llOO. He unfierstood that tho cost of the ship being detained in Sydney was about £3BO per day. William Kerr Wallace, blaster of the steamer Aeneas, said that his crew struck work on August 21. Some of the. cargo he was to take away had been loaded into a German ship, to make room for which the Aeneas had to move out of her berth. "It was a bitter pill," Captain Wallace added, "and it- galled me, ** I am a patriot."