FIGHT IN WHEEL-HOUSE

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19140, 8 October 1936, Page 15

FIGHT IN WHEEL-HOUSE

QUARTER -MASTER GAOLED THIRD MATE ASSAULTED AXE CRASHES PANEL (Per Press Association.) CIIRISTCHURCH, this clay. With the ship following: a zig-zag course, the third officer and a quartermaster struggled at the wheel of the Remucra as the. vessel was passing Cape Campbell on Monday night. Later a ship's? axe. thrown by the. quarter-master, crashed through a glass panel into the captain's cabin, where the third officer had gone seeking aid. The quarter-master followed the axe, and grappled with the mate, but received a black eye and was taken into custody.

The quarter-master. James Lundy, aged 42 years, a native of Ireland, appeared in court this morning charged with assaulting the third mate, Harold Hill, on the high seas. Lundy was sentenced to gaol for three months with hard labour by Mr. E. C Levvey, S.M., and was ordered to be placed in a ship at the end of the term. WISH TO GET BEARING

The police. said that the- Rcmuera sailed from Wellington! at five o'clock on Monday. The quarter-master, Lundy, was due on the bridge at 8 o'clock, but arrived 10 minutes late. The third mate, Mr. Harold Hill, knew that Lundy had been drinking in Wellington, and after a- few minutes sent for another man to take the wheel as the mate was anximiis to get an accurate bearing off Cape Campbell. Ltihdy refused to go, Wuit after a struggle, was put out of the wheelhouse. Lundy returned and the mate went into the captain's cabin to call the captain, and there was a crash as an axe- came through a panel. Hill said in evidence that soon after Lundy took the wheel, lie found the ship was on" her course. A chart produced by Hill indicated) that a zig-zag course had been taken and Hill said he found it impossible to get another bearing with Lundy steering. In evidence, Lundy said the. mate told him the ship was off her course, and his reply was he was bringing her back. lie claimed that the mate struck him and stupefied him. After he was put off the bridge, he saw the axo and the Bight of it tempted him to threaten the third officer. In reply to the magistrate, Lundy declared his mind was a. blank from the lime he was alleged to have been struck outside the wlreelhouse until he found himself in the captain's cabin.