THE MOKOIA HOLD-UP

Wanganui Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 160740, 28 August 1920, Page 2

THE MOKOIA HOLD-UP

SEQUEL IN S.M. COURT. (Per United Press Association.) AUCKLAND, August 27. A sequel to the trouble -on the ferry steamer Mokoia on July 12th, when certain members of the crew refused to sail if Sir George Clifford was a passenger, was the prosecution of the men concerned in the Magistrate’s Court today, the Mokoia being now in port here. The Department claimed a penalty of £lO from each man who was charged with becoming a party to the strike. Mr Bailey, of “Wellington, outlined the facts of the case, and evidence was given by the master and chief engineer of the Mokoia. The defence was that there was no evidence that any of the defendants vtere engaged to work on .the ship or did work on it as firemen. It was alleged that they had taken part in a strike, but no orders had been disobeyed, and the Statute did not say a threat to strike constituted a strike. The Magistrate held that a strike had taken place and that the defendants must be convicted. Counsel for the defendants intimated that there would be an appeal. The case was then adjourned till tomorrow on the question of penalties.