SEAMEN'S STRIKE ECHO

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 16297, 23 March 1927, Page 4

SEAMEN'S STRIKE ECHO

A COOK CLAIMS DAMAGES (Per Press Association.) AUCKLAND, this day. An echo of the seamen's strike at Auckland on February, 1926, was heard in. the Supreme Court to-day when a claim for £2O damages was made by Ernest Arnold, a ship's cook (Mr. Cahill) against Thomas Frederick Anderson, union secretary (Mr. Holmden) and David Frederick Wright, greaser (Mr. Vialoux) on the grounds that they conspired with the seamen and the Union Steam Ship Co., Ltd., to procure plaintiff's dismissal from the service. Mr. Cahill said that in February, 1926, when the incidents occurred! which gave rise to the present action,: plaintiff was a cook on the steamer Waitomo, on which Wright was a fireman. Anderson was then secretary of the Auckland branch of the,Seamen's Union. On February 23, 1926, when the vessel Avas at Auckland, the breakfast menu included ssausages, and a complaint was made by several firemen", including Wright, who acted as spokesman, that these were bad. They were shown to the cook, who admitted they were sour and immediately provided other meat. The merits of these particular sausages had been thoroughly discussed in the Police Court, when the firemen of the Waitomo were each fined for refusing to obey lawful com mauds. Mr. Cahill: It may seem trivial, but it resulted in the Union Co. being forced to lay up the vessel for some months. His Honor: Some months? What, on account of these sausages? Mr. Cahill: Well, yes, they were the primary cause. The firemen stated that if the cook were not dismissed they would not sail. The feeling against the plaintiff then spread to other vessels, and Anderson fnially advised plaintiff to leave the ship, as if he did not there would be no hope of the Waitomo carrying a crew. When Arnold stated he had no intention of leaving, Mr. Cahill continued, Andorson said the vessel be declared "black." This was evidently done, as the Waitomo lay idle in 'the harbor for months. The Union Co. at last took defendant from the Waitomo and placed him on the Kaitoke, but it was not deemed advisable to leave him there ,as there was further sign of trouble. He was given a day's wages and had not been employed by the company since, as it was feared* trouble would be created wherever lie went. His Honor: That is what is known as the Brotherhood of Labor, 1 suppose The hearing was adjourned.