CREW MEMBER ARRESTED

Press, Volume CV, Issue 30977, 5 February 1966, Page 16

CREW MEMBER ARRESTED

(New Zealand Press Association)

WELLINGTON, February 4.

A 22-year-old crew member of the freighter Durango will appear in the Wellington Magistrate’s Court tomorrow on a charge of attempted murder.

The charge came after an incident in which another crew member, Anthony McGuire, an Englishman, was allegedly injured during a shooting incident aboard the vessel early this morning.

The incident occurred when the Durango was 62 miles out from Wellington. The ship returned to Wellington and McGuire was operated on in Wellington Hospital. His condition was not available at 8 p.m. today. The Durango left Wellington for the United Kingdom at 9 p.m. on Thursday, carrying refrigerated cargo and seven passengers.

Sir Walter Nash, travelling to the United Kingdom, is one of the passengers aboard the 9800 ton vessel.

The New Zealand manager of the Shaw Savill and Albion line, Mr M. J. Smith, said today the Durango was chartered by the ocmpany from the Royal Mail line in England. It arrived in Timaru from the United Kingdom on December 22.

He said it visited Wellington and Port Chalmers, then returned to Wellington. The Durango is expected to leave Wellington after evidence is heard in the Magistrate’s Court tomorrow. Mr Smith said he believed the ship had visited New Zealand about five times.

The latest delay to the Durango’s schedule is one of several since it arrived in New Zealand waters.

It was supposed to sail from Wellington several days ago, but congestion, labour shortages and other factors interrupted its time-table.