DESERTING SEAMEN
UNION SECRETARY’S COMPLAINT DISGRACEFUL CONDITIONS ON BdARD (P.A.) CHRISTCHURCH, Mar. 15. “If you were to visit the ship and see the conditions under which the ■men have to live you would agree that they had no alternative but to desert,” said Mr Martin, secretary of the Seamen’s Union, addressing the magistrate, Mr E. C. Levvey, this morning, when three men—Colin Gregory Jones Norman, aged 19, David Edgar Edwards, aged 22, and James McDonald, aged 24—pleaded guilty to desertion. Mr Martin added that one of the men was leaving behind £3O in wages, another £6O, and the third £45. Men did not leave such sums owing to them unless there was something radically wrong. “ Unfortunately, the Seamen’s Union does not cover these vessels, otherwise we would see that the men were treated as human ‘ beings and not as animals,” Mr Martin added. The magistrate said that, while he might be most sympathetic, what could he do? He was entirely limited in his powers. The men were sentenced to a month’s imprisonment, and an order was made that they be placed on board the ship.
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Bibliographic details
Otago Daily Times, Issue 25175, 16 March 1943, Page 4
Word Count
185DESERTING SEAMEN Otago Daily Times, Issue 25175, 16 March 1943, Page 4
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