MUTINY THREAT.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20425, 2 October 1934, Page 2

MUTINY THREAT.

Communist Intrigue on Board Ship. FANTASTIC DEMANDS. LOXDOX, August 25. A remarkable story of Communist .titrigue and how a captain was forced to submit to the fantastic demands of a section of his crew which threatened him with mutiny was revealed after dramatic incidents aboard the steafner Mount Ossa in Brixham Harbour, says a special correspondent of the “ Daily Mail.” Soon after the vessel had dropped anchor a tug carrying a score of police went to meet her. The police, with Home Office officials and representatives oi Messrs Rethymnis and Kulukundis, Ltd., agents in Britain for Atlanticos Steamship Company, Ltd., Athens, went aboard. After several hours the tug returned with fourteen Greek seamen, who were later transferred to a motor-coach and conveyed to Southampton. Mr G. Kulukundis, a representative of the agents, said:— Two months ago, at Buenos Aires, the crew were addressed by a Com munist agitator. “As a direct result of his agitation, part of the crew of the Mount Ossa mutinied. “They demanded to be paid at similar rates to the British seamen on board. This was agreed to. “ Next they demanded extra food and unlimited supplies of fruit, and finally they insisted that the captain should sanction the formation of a * committee * of five sailors with power to criticise his orders and to condemn them. “ They told Captain Manessis that if he opposed such a committee there would be violence. “ The captain wirelessed a message to the owners of the ship at Athens as a result of which fourteen men were sent to Brixham in time to take the place of the crew who were taken off. “ The discharged crew were sent back to Greece within twenty-four hours.”