DOINGS ON S.S. KAI ORA.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 906, 27 August 1910, Page 6

DOINGS ON S.S. KAI ORA.

. OFFICER IMPLICATED. IBy Tolecraph.—Press Association.) Dunodin, 26. At tho Police Court to-day cases of cargo-broaching on the Kia Ora during the voyage from .London were heard before Mr. ;Widdowson, S.M.. Accused wore charged.. as follows:—John .William Mills (bos'n), embezzling a coil of rope, of a value of £4; James Hayter Barter (fourth officer), embezzling suitcase, hats, stockings, brooches, etc., valued at £3; Ernest Frederick Guest and Archibald Ernest Kerrick (seaman), embezzling electro-plated jam-dishes,' brooches, watches, 108 yards of binding, hair-combs, hats, hearth-rugs, sideboard covers, suit-cases, ' etc. of a value of £32. All pleaded guilty. Detective Ward said that during the voyage Guest and Kerriek entered the ship's hold and broke open cases consigned to Dunedin merchants stealing tho articles mentioned. ' Portion of them they, gave to Barter. Tho chief and second officers went, to the hold, and discovered the losses, "whereupon tho men, fearing discovery, threw tho things overboard, and nothing has been recovered. Apart from: the actual theft,, Guest entered the hold with a lighted candle, the possible result of Which s. act could be imagined. ■ Mr. A. R. Barclay, who appeared for Guest, said that his client admitted that no'had. taken some cargo, but denied that ho had been in any sense the ringlcadfcr. As far as the light was concerned, he admitted no responsibility- . ' ■ , ■'..'..•'.)• Mr. Irwin said .it seemed that KerI'ick and . Barter had known each othei for thirteen, and-a half, years. . Kernel; came to Barter, one day,.and.offered him a bag, which- he accepted. At tho time he suspected nothing, and carved his initials on it, leaving it where all.the officers could see it.in his cabin. Later, Kerrick brought him somo other goods, which ho took,' but, finding later whence they came, and. that ..it had como to tho officers' ears, he returned the things to Kerrick, but, being friendly to him, did not report the'matter. Ho threw tho bag ovorboard, because his initials wcro on it, and he, had found that it had been stolen.' He was quite'a young man, and his chances, in his profession were probably ruined. His Worship intimated that lie would defer sentence till Monday, to which date the four nion were remanded.