SAILORS IMPRISONED

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1748, 6 September 1905, Page 55

SAILORS IMPRISONED

COMPLAINTS OF BAH FOOH. AUCKLAND, August 31. Mr Dyer, S.M., had before him at the Police Court yesterday five foreign sailors from the steamer Vienna. Two pleaded guilty to having absented themselves without leave, and the others admitted that they had disobeyed the lawful commands of the chief engineer. Mr Clayton, who appeared for the captain of the* Vienna, said that a good deal of trouble had been experienced: with the men, who made complaints about the food, though they had no just cause for complaint. Mr Lundon, who appeared for the sailors, said that two who could speak English complained volubly that the food given to them consisted of rotten pork and jam, and that they had to work for £4 and £4 10s per month, although entitled to the colonial rate of £8 10s per month. The men who absented themselves without leave simply went ashore to consult the secretary of the Seamen’s Union. His Worship sentenced the men to forty-eight hours’ imprisonment, and ordered them to forfeit out of their pay the wages of substitutes who had to be employed on the steamer for two days.