CLAIM FOR WAGES FAILS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21277, 2 September 1932, Page 14

CLAIM FOR WAGES FAILS

Jformer mate of breeze J JUDGMENT FOR COMPANY V [BY TELEGRAPH —PRESS ASSOCIATION] CHRISTCHURCH. Thursday | The grounding of the ill-fated Bteamer Breeze at Gore Bay in February was recalled in the Magistrate's Court to-day, when Charles Alfred Williams, formerly mate of the vessel, claimed from the Canterbury Steam Shipping Company, Limited, £26 for wages, in lieu of a month's notice. Defendants stated that they relied on an alteration of the log-book as evidence of misconduct by plaintiff. Plaintiff said that, on February 22, 1932, the defendant company dismissed him from employment without notice and •without the payment of wages, in lieu of notice. Counsel for Plaintiff: Was there any •uggestion that you had ever been guilty of misconduct ? Plaintiff: No. Except that Captain Merita) said he had had too many claims on my account. Counsel for defendant questioned plain tiff regarding evidence lie had given at the inquiry, and asked if he knew that* the Court had found that an entry made by him in the rough log-book had been altered. Williams: I had written over it. Counsel: In the Court's finding it was stated that the mate's explanations of the reasons for altering the log were weak and unconvincing. Do you regard that as misconduct ? Williams:' No. You cannot' write up things properly in the dark. Mr. H. P. La wry, S.M.: Did you give that explanation to the CoUrt of Inquiry?, Witness: No. . The magistrate upheld defendants' contention that plaintiff had been guilty of dereliction of duty. He gave judgment for defendant. The magistrate remarked that failure to allow for a compass deviation was in itself sufficient dereliction oi' duty on the part of the navigator to endanger the ship.