STEAMER DELAYED.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 19160, 17 November 1927, Page 13

STEAMER DELAYED.

! + TROUBLESOME SEAMEN. [THE PRESS Special Service.] AUCKLAND, November 16. The departure of the Shaw, Savill, and Albion steamer Kia Ora from Auckland for Canada and England was delayed for over an hour owing to minor trouble with the crew. The vessel was ready to depart at 3 o'clock in the afternoon, but at that time about half-a-dozen seamen and firemen were absent. All except one man arrived on the wharf shortly afterwards, but they demurred about going on board because of the absent one. When they did go on board they refused to allow the gangway to be let go. This resulted, in a tug-of-war between the men on board and the officials on shore.

While the struggle was in progress two of the seamen ran down the gangway and went to search for the missing man. In the meantime the mooring lines had been cast off, and the Kia Ora was gradually moving away from the wharf, taking the gangway with her. As it was gradually being dragged off the wharf, one of the officers on board cut the lanyards and let the gangway fall into the harbour. Those on the wharf retained the shore fastenings, and it was then hoisted on to the wharf by a crane. The two men who had dashed ashore at the last moment soon found the missing man. The difficulty then was to get the three to enter a launch and be taken out to (he steamer, which had anchored in the stream. The men wanted to know, who would pay the launch hire, as they refused to do so themselves. They were told that the matter would be adjusted by the captain of the Kia Ora, but they still demurred, and refused to embark. In order to prevent further delay to the steamer, the stevedore paid the captain of the launch in front of the men, and gave his word that they would not have to bear any expense. This satisfied the seamen, and they then left in the launch and rejoined the Kia Ora, which departed from the anchorage about half-an-hour later.