THE LAW AND THE SCOWS.

NZ Truth, Issue 253, 30 April 1910, Page 7

THE LAW AND THE SCOWS.

Since the slipshod style m which the scow Vesper was manned was brought so forcibly to light, Captain Fleming, Superintendent of Marine, has been chasing round to r t flic screw on, with the result that f l T"fti Rountree, of the scow Altair.wa.sj, '"-.ifcd to Mr E. C. Cutten during the" vn^k charged with taking a seaman to s.ua without first entering into an agreement with him. The Altair had a full crew according to law, but Mikiielson, the man concerned, was hard up, and, out of kindness, the skipper took him as an extra hand to work m loading and discharging, and as he had no discharge he could not be signed on m the regular way. There was no doubt about the master's bona-fides, but the law had been infringed and Captain Fleming pressed for an exempJary punishment, otherwise his Department would be m danger of losing control. The Magistrate considered that a fine of £2 and costs would vindicate the law and skipper Rounirce marched to the clerk's counter to settle his debt to His Majesty. It is sometimes expensive to be good naturedly inclined and at the same time work under the Shipping and Seamen's Act.