EXTRAORDINARY CASE

New Zealand Times, Volume LI, Issue 11785, 22 March 1924, Page 4

EXTRAORDINARY CASE

MAN DRIVEN OFF VESSEL DIFFERENCE B-SFWEEN DOMINION AND HOME RATES. MAGISTRATE’S COMMENTS. What was described as a case with some extraordinary features was heard at the Police Court yesterday, when, a seaman named Peter Seaton was charged with deserting from the s.s. <k>rintliio. Detective Cameron said the accused had oome out from England two year* ago, and signed off the ship when it reached New Zealand. Reoently there had been a number of desertions from the Corinthic, and the accused was able to obtain a position on the boat. He signed on at the Home rate jf wages, and for that reason met with a great deal of hostility from the ship's firemen. This became so bad that ho was advised to hide away until the ship left for sea and he did so, but his molesters soon discovered his hiding place. As a result of this molestation the accused was practically hounded off the vessel. The difference between the Home rate of wages and the coastal rate ,wns a matter of something like £5 Mr Prince, agent for the shipping company, stated that the defendant’s name had appeared in the deserters’ list.

Detective Cameron: Is there any difference between the Dominion and Home rates of pay p v Witness: Yes, there is a difference of about £5 7s 4d per month.

Witness added that there had been many cases where seamen had been molested and driven off shipa because they had signed on at a. different rate of pay compared with the rest of the crew. Witness did not doubt for one moment that the defendant had been driven off the vessel.

His Worship (Mr Paige, S.M.) said that the accused was guilty of desertion, but he had been practically driven off the vessel. Under those circumstances tho defendant was merely convicted and discharged.