BOARD OF TRADE WRONG.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1954, 10 January 1914, Page 3

BOARD OF TRADE WRONG.

METHOD OF SUPPLYING SEAMEN. ; An unusual c-aso was heard at Liveri pool, when Hetiry Curran, a boarding-house-keeper, was charged, with unlawfully supplying a seaman to the Moss 'Lin© steamer Vo-sges. • ; Mr. Poxton, for tho Board of Trade, said a seaman named Martin was taken down .to the boat by tho defendant v. ith others, and was told ho would re"ceivo "an ■ advance of £1.. Martin was under the belief that it would bo sent to his'wife..- -Tho evidence showed that the advnnco note was mado out to tho defendant,-':'who for sixteen years had boon,in theihabit'of supplying men to' .tho "If the men wero not selected ho'received half- a-crown from the company.' When they were engag-ed-he charged £1 for the food the men had had at his.'-boardinghouse, and clothes. :'-.i Captain' Smith,' :of the Board of Trade,'.was;'called, and. ;in replying to the' assertion of, tho-defendant that he had.supplied men at the request of the Board of .Trade, said that, when asked by steamship owners, they did request bonrdinghoiise-keepers to attend with men when ships wero about to sail. ■/.Tho Stipendiary: I put it you, Captain Smth,-' Curran ■ is hero at tho instance of the Board of Trade, summoned for supplying seamen for a reward, .which is against tho law; and, as I understand you, it is a fact that Curran has been oneouraged to do this by you and your officers. Captain Smith: Tho payment I understand tlio boardinghouse-koeper receives is his expenses for taking them down to the. ship. . Tlie Stipendiary: That is against - the, law.- ' • In the end the summons was dismissed, but tho defendant was ordered to pay five guineas costs,.