DISGRACEFUL SCENES ON BOARD A SHIP.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 4794, 11 September 1883, Page 4

DISGRACEFUL SCENES ON BOARD A SHIP.

♦ (dfolbonrae Age, August 23.) At the Williamstown Police Court 3 esterdaj eight sailoro belonging to the chip Maoduff were oharged at the instanoe of 'K. T. "Watson, the captain, with baring been guilty of wilful and continued dieobodianoe during the voyage from England to Melbourne. The' evidence of the captain and officers of tho veescl was to th>3 effect that the accused bad repeatedly rafuaod to perform cerfnio work, and had behaved in a very refractory mannor, ono of their number ririking tho captain with his fiats. In consequence of this the offender was put ia irons, QCid all tbe accused were placed on short rations. The evidence for the defonca repealed Eoma Eomowhat asloniabing facts ao to the manrcftr in which tbe defenduntv and also the cameajjera of the ship were treated during tse voyage. Joseph Scott, ono of the defendant:*, xrho was called as a witness, stated that the tailors on bonrd complained of the treatment they received. Wttnees epako to tho captain about it, whan the latter said that ho would work the ship himiself, and did not require tlio help of the defendants. Tho supply of provisions) to the accußod was then stopped altogether, aud they did not receive a morsel to eat frcia the captain for seven days. During that period the men suffered terribly, and as their supply of drinking water* was also stopped they became quite weak from privation. On oae occasion the witnoss stated thai!; he could not obtain a drop of water, although his thirst was so great that he attempted to quench it by licking (.ho doir from the bulwarks of tho ship. This state of things continued until the men became too weak to go about. The witness further said that the captain nnd officers uoed to carry revblvoro about their person?, aud that on froquenfc oscimons the former fired his revolver oir in tho air, presumably for the purpoßO of intimidating the mon. I'be evidenco of this witness was corroborated by some of the other defendants, who stated that the captain had at different times threatened thorn that ha would not tako them to Williamatown to be tried, because all the magistrates there wero cither low publicans or prostitute mongers. At this stage a passenger by tbe Mucdnff, named John IT. Harwood, voluntarily oame forward to give evidence. Ho characterised tho conduct, of the captain from tho commencement to the end of the voyage, as disgraceful. He was moifc villainouo and tyrannical to his men, whom ho treated io an inhuman manner. On ono occttniox a seaman was lying in his bunk, the captain standing near him. Witness heard the sailor crying out that eomoone wub breaking hio leg. He (witnose) ar. onoa proceeded to tho sailor's sleoping apartment, vhero ho aaw the captain.

The sailor was lying upon the bed apparently in great pain. The paosengers on board the ship had also been treatod in a most unsatisv factory way, their grievances being so numerous that they had decided to lay the matter before the Board of Trade in London. The witness oonoluded by stating that he never saw suoh disgraceful proceedings on board a ship before. This closed the oase, and the Bench, after a short retirement, dismissed the charges against the men.