SEAMEN'S ARTICLES.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 288, 21 November 1862, Page 5

SEAMEN'S ARTICLES.

(To the Editor of the Otago Daily Times.) Sir,—lMng a reader of the Daily Times, and knowing your pap-r to be opui to. all and influenc«d bynone, may I request you will be pleased to. give publicity to the following case, viz :—Some thirteen days ago. I having depuied a shipping agent to procure me some 5 or~G men for the barque Stately, going trom hence to Sydney. The order having Ik-mi complied witi?, the men were duly shipped at the Customhouse, articles -were signed, and the agreement read to each man : at L 4 per month, to be discharged in Sydney. After being on board some Bor 10 days, it. was necessary to remove and unmoor ship ; one anchor was weighed to go alongside the hulk an i discharge coals, when the pilot sent the men to breakfast ; but. iustead of doing which, they came aft to me and told me tley did not understand lifting the anchor or unmooring hhip to.proceed to the huik. I ultimate'y took out a warrant, in order to obtain that support which I j,houl<«, as master of a ship, expect. The case was heard before the Ifesidcnt Magistrate -at Port Uhfilmers.who expressed it as his opinion that the 'men were misled, and that it was 'not their »i\vty"to discharge the coals. In consequence of his opinion. I have hat! to pny for men discharging cargo 1/22, quite v 'necessarily.

Trusting the above remarks will elicit from my " brother officers'' the remarks and advice necessary for the wdi-boine of all similarly situated, and to suppress that insubordination which in any other port but Otago would sot be tolerated either by captain or magistrate. . I am. Sir, Yours respectfully, William May, Master, ship Stately, Port Chalmers. Dunediu, 20th Nov., 1362.