THE SADIE A. THOMPSON.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 10068, 6 June 1894, Page 3

THE SADIE A. THOMPSON.

TO THE EDITOR. Sih,—Will you kindly allow me through the medium of your columns to ask our learned friend Mr Platts whether had the seaman Olsen made an assault on either the captain or mate they would have had no redress in our courts of justice ? I am inclined to think had the case been of such a nature he would have been able to make out a good case against the poor uufortunate seaman.

None but those who have had experience of deep-water sailing ships know what unlimited power the captain and officers of a vessel have over their crews. They can and often do make a man's life, to whom they may take some dislike, that intensely miserable by "working up," as it is called, that it is little wonder yon so | often hear the remark that deep water sailing is a dog's life. It is not the sea, but ofttimes the men that are on it. "Working up" may consist of giving a man all the very worst jobs there are to be had, "keeping him on deck all day instead of allowing him his watch below, and at night time daring his watch on deck keeping him going aloft to do all the most unnecessary jobs possible, and being cursed and sworn at in a way that no decent human being would speak to a dog. Should he refuse to do anything, he is entered in the log as refusing to obey the lawful commands of the ship's officers, and when port is reached is handed over to be-dealt with by some J.P., who knows nothing of the case except that which he finds entered in the ship's log, which I am sorry to say generally relates only one side of the offence. Perhaps some of the crew may wish to appear as witnesses on behalf of their fellow seamen, and to do that must go on shore during the day to interview a lawyer. That requires leave of absence-which, if they asked for, would, in a great many instances, bo refused daring working hours. Should they make up their minds to take leave and bear the consequences, in less time almost than it takes to tell, there are warrants issued for their arrest on a charge of absenting themselves from the vessel without leave, and they are then dealt with accordingly, and during the time they are imprisoned a captain may employ labour from the shore and pay such labour out of the wages of the seamen, and yon may be sure that those who have been men enough to try and get justice for their fellow seamen will have a lively time on the passage home. A great many people have the idea that captains and mates are beyond such conduct, certainly there are men in positions of command, and it lays entirely with the captain and his officers whether they make the ship a home or the opposite to it, and the only pcoplo who are competent to give a man's character are those that have had to work under .him,

[ Mr Mouat spoke very true words when he said (our J.P.s having refused to grant the seaman Olsen his discharge), " God help the man if he were allowed to go bask to that ship." It was a pity that he did not get 14- days for coming on shore to try and get justice, and be free; but the law is framed differently and allows a captain, directly his ship is ready for sea, to have brought on board (under polico supervision, if necessary) any of the crew who may be in gaol, and thero to bo dealt with as he chooses.—l am, &0., Dunedin, June 5. H. C. Campbell,