MORE STOWAWAYS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21648, 19 May 1932, Page 10

MORE STOWAWAYS

TWO ON PORT MELBOURNE, (From Oub Own Correspondent.) i LONDON, April 7. A midnight search for two stowaways, who escaped from the Port Melbourne when she berthed at the King George.,Y, dock, was described at . the - East Ham Police Court. Thomas Crawford (57) , cook, of 5 Aldous street, Shirley, Southampton, and Thomas MacLachlan (21), labourer, of no fixed abode, were charged with stowing away on the vessel at Auckland on February 6. ■ Mr F. E. Peregrine (for the Commonwealth and Dominion Line) pointed out that the shipping business was at present in a very depressed state, and companies were put to a great expense in carrying a large number of stowaways. Crawford adopted an original method of eecretiug himself, as, by some means, he managed to reach the “crow’s nest.” He stayed ' there a considerable time, but was discovered when the ship was at sea. MacLachlan, who went out to New Zealand under an emigration scheme, chose a less comfortable hiding-place in the bunkers. He was found by one of the trimmers. When the ship reached Gravesend, the captain, realising that he might have to pay a penalty if the men escaped, locked them in the doctor’s cabin. But one of • the men .succeeded in removing the lock from the door, so that .when the officers went to the cabin “the birds had flown.” With the assistance of the dock police, asearch was carried out which lasted- two hours. .Crawford was eventually discovered, in the cargo of-wool, while MacLachlan was’caught when he was seen; walking across' the ship. : , .. ." - Crawford told the _ Bench that on , bis vovage he was ■ working 13 hours a day-, for 42 days/ He was suffering from a ■ very bad bout of malaria when he boardqd the ship. MacLachlan said he had parents in New Zealand, but had come to England, as he- thought he stood a better t chance of getting wbrkr - : The chairman (Mr V. R. Oliver) imposed a fine of £lO or 28 days’ imprisonment in each case. -•• v • ■/