THE WALKURE TROUBLE.

Otago Witness, Issue 3006, 25 October 1911, Page 33

THE WALKURE TROUBLE.

CHINAMEN REFUSE DUTY

WHEN IS A NATION DEFUNCT?

The oases of the eight Chinamen who appeared in the City Police Court on Thursday afternoon to f-nswer a charge of wilfully disobeying orders and refusing to tun to their duty in the engine-room of the Waikure were set down for hearing before Mr J. R. Bartholomew, S.M., on Friday morning. Lee Wan was called, and stepped into the dock. The charge, which was laid on the information of the ship's master (Captain George Baake), was read, whereupon Mr Scurr intimated that he appeared for the accused, who would plead not guilty. Mr W. C. MacGregor, who appeared for

the prosecution, briefly outlined the position, Mr Scurr, for the defence, raised the point that the Gazette notice bringing into force the provisions of the Foreign Seamen's Act, published in 1869, was inoperative, as the North German Federation had ceased to- exist, and now formed part of the German Empire, which was the only State in Germany known, diplomatically or otherwise, and therefore any notification which might have appeared between New Zealand and the North German Ftderation was necessarily inoperative. On Saturday Mr Bartholomew, S.M., delivered judgment, upholding the contention of Mr Scurr, and dismissed the charges on the ground that thegcourt had no jurisdiction in the case. . m

DESPAIRING CHINESE. On Saturday evening Port Chalmers people witnessed an . unusual sight, when eight Chinese firemen were being escorted back to the German tramp steamer by half-a-dozen constables, who had brought them down from Dunedin. To the average onlooker they were merely so many.aliens who had got the worst of an attempt to defy the authority of the officers on the ship by refusing to work. Disobedience of the lawful, commands on board ship is regarded by the law as a serious offence. Consequently the combined action of- these Chinese,on this" occasion was variously con ; struecL Some, who professed to know, said the Chinese had been attacked with the "labour unrest" in an acute form, and wanted an increase of pay. Others declared it was all part of a deep design to be "gaoled" so that they would remain in New Zealand without having to pay a poll tax. The Rev. A. Don, the well-known Chinere missionary, discussed the position with the aggrieved Chinamen. He said they appeared to be labouring under a deepseated grievance. Thev complained that they had been ill-treated, and had various other grievances. They felt keenly the refusal of the captain to give them any money. They eaid they had all worked on British ships, and to prove their good character showed Mr Don their discharge, endorsed "good," "very good," etc. When Mr Don explained that as a result of the decision of the court they would be returned to the vessel forthwith, they were amazed, and then indignant. Others were despondent, and spoke of suicide putting an end to their troubles. The Chinese turned deaf ears to all appeals, but at last, after a prolonged palaver, they said they would resume work if the captain would give them a written guarantee that he would not permit any of the officers to ill-treat them in future. This involved an awkward dilemma for Captain Baake, who at onoo declared he would do nothing of the kind. He would not consent to give them a written bond, but he would give them a oaptain's assurance that he would redress their grievances and protect them against any possibility of their being ill-treated in future on the Waikure. For reasons best known to themselves, the men seemed to feel that a written bond of some kind was an absolute essential, and at last Captain Baake effected a compromise, andi handed over to Mr Don the following agreement:—"l hereby promise that the firemen shall have Saturday afternoons free when in port, and that they shall b© well treated. If they behave to my satisfaction they shall not be punished for the offence done in New Zealand."

On being informed of its contents, the firemen _ evidently .regarded the diocument as -a talisman-against further tyranny, and decided to return to their ship. This they did quietly and without any, fuss, but the presence of the large posse of police that escorted them back to the Walkure plainly suggested a possibility that the police might have to carry every man bodily on board. No such contingency arose, however, and the aggrieved Orientals having rejoined the vessel, the latter sailed about 6 p.m. for Newcastle, and' the incident closed so- far as this port is concerned. In justice to Captain Baako and the deck officers, it should be said that the Chinese deck hands were not parties to the dispute, which was confined solely to the firemen on the vessel, and the opinion e&emed pretty general amongst shipping people in the port that the fault was hot all on the side of the Chinamen.