SABOTAGE

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXII, Issue 19247, 26 February 1925, Page 5

SABOTAGE

THE WAY THE MONEY GOES AORANGI STEWARDS SENTENCED AN AMAZING STORY. I (Per Press Association) AUCKLAND, Feb. 25. I It would appear that more went, on aboard the Aorangi during the voyage (from England than one would dream [of. An amazing story was told in the Police Court, this morning about two I stewards who whiled away the time by 'flinging quantities of the ship’s cutlery. crockery and general gear out of portholes with such reckless abandon (that had the journey lasted a few (months little would have been left. George Scot I (29 ) was charged with j the theft of a dustpan ai.d broom (7s), ••a settee cushion (20s). n glass tumbler : (7d), and a quantity of cutlery, while 'Joseph Olivier was charged that on the (high seas he did damage a wooden ■ drawer valued at 30s, and steal a I cushion valued at 20s. All the goods i were the property of the Union Steam--ship Company. Both accused pleaded I not guilty. ! Jane Kennedy, a third-class passenger. stated that she had seen Scott itake a glass and throw it out of a portlode in the third class dining room. ! She had also seen him throw plates (into the sea in the same manner. She i remarked about it to the accused, who told witness that it was all right 1)0- ( cause “they got a new crate of dishes in every port.’’ A number of witnesses wore then called. One woman stated that she saw Scott fling a broom and a dustpan out of a porthole, while on other occasions she had seen plates consigned io the deep. Scott told this witness that the place was a pigholo, and received the reply tht if ho swept it out properly it wouldn’t be. A third-class waiter testified to observing the accused get rid of the (ship’s gear per medium of a porthole, (while another swore to seeing him put i silverware in his pocket. | I). N. Miller, a steward of the (Aorangi, said that on the voyage he : began to miss cutlery and silver. He had trouble with Scott, who was later [disrated. Since Scott and Olivier had 'been removed to the third class there i had been practically no losses. i Regarding the charges against I Olivier, Alexander Munroe, a secondly lass steward, said the accused asked him for the keys for his drawer. AViti ness told him ho did not have tiny. . Later, lie hoard a noise, and next mor; (ing found the drawer smashed. j Robert Ashby, master-at-arms, stated ithat. the accused had Leon interviewed regarding the drawer and had admitted taking a spade to lever it open. Tn the operations the drawer camo apart. “These follows are guilty of sabotage.’’ said the Magistrate. “They take a delight in damaging other people’s property, and they think it funny. They are really fanatics. Their mischief really comes back on the heads of the workers. Tt is a very bad ease. Olivier is sentenced to one ■month's imprisonment and ordered to pay costs. Scott will receive throe months on the first two charges, sen | fences to lie cumulative. On the others he is convicted and discharged.’’