SEA-COOK SUES UNION FOR £667.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17879, 22 June 1926, Page 11

SEA-COOK SUES UNION FOR £667.

ALLEGES ILLEGAL CONSPIRACY AGAINST MR YOUNG, SECRETARY. Per Press Association. WELLINGTON, June 22. A ship’s cook, John James Stuart, who was discharged over a dispute with a fireman about the quality of some milk, at Greymouth, claimed £SOO damages and other recompense, making a total of £667. in the Supreme Court, | from the Wellington Seamen’s Union and the secrctar}*, Mr Young. The allegation was that defendants illegally conspired and combined with others to induce or compel the shipping company to determine the contract with plaintiff, and further that they insisted on the crew taking part in an unlawful strike. The defence denied the conspiracy, and said that they were not responsible for plaintiff’s discharge. The dispute was between the members of the crew. Mr Young was later asked to use his influence to re-open the dispute, with a \-iew to the reinstatement of plaintiff, bu there was no official connection of the union or the secretary. Mr Mazengarb, for plaintiff, said he was cook-providore of the s.s. Tees. A fireman named Graham at Greymouth raised a dispute that the milk had water in it. A disturbance followed in which Graham struck plaintiff. Proceedings for assault against Graham were, dismissed and the firemen refused to take the ship to sea if the cook remained on board. A temporary truce was arranged to enable the vessel to proceed to Wellington, the cook proceeding overland. Conferences were held and the captain of the Tees gave notice to Graham, considering him the cause of the trouble, lie refused pressure to sign him on again. The captain was informed by the assistantsecretary of the union that no crew could be supplied, and the vessel was held up for fourteen days. (Proceeding.)