SHIP DESERTION PENALTY NEEDS REVISION

Chronicle (Levin), 4 July 1947, Page 5

SHIP DESERTION PENALTY NEEDS REVISION

■Press Association

By Telearciph-

WELLINGTON, July 3. One hundred men a nionth are coiuing before tlie courts for deserting tlieir sliips in Xew Zealand, said counsel for tlie X'ew Zealand Ghipping Company, Mr. ll. R. C. Wilde, in tlie Magistrate's Oourt when a man was eharged with sliip desertion. Counsel said tlie sliipping companies were prosecuting these men not only for tlieir own reasons, though the diffieulties caused by deserters were great, but also in tlie public interest.

Counsel for defendant, Mr. Staeey, objeeted to Mr. Wilde 's gcueral statenients on desertion but the Magistrate, Mr. J. L. Stout, said he thought the public ought to know the extent to which it was going on. He was interested himself and had thought it to be about 1000 a year. Mr. Wilde suggested that the penalty was not sufficient, being only one rnonth. Mr. Stout said he thought the Xew Zealand penalty was as light as tliat iii any Doniinion. Mr. Wilde said large numbers of men were unquestionably uitdesirable charJ'acters. They canie before the Court again and again. He suggested that the Magistrate niight make some comment on the matter of penalty but Mr. tStout replied tliat he had frequently eominented on such malters. "A statute 50 years old is inadequate to meet the circumstances when men are eoming in at the rate of 1200 a vcar and are being awarded- citizensliip of the country at the price of a nionth at the expense of tlie State. " Defendant in the case was Harold Leslie Jones, sliip's earpenter, eharged with deserting from the sliip Tower Hill in Wellington. He was sentenced to three weeks ' gaol, the Magistrate commenting .that defendant had already spent a week in custody on remand.