FIGHT ON A STEAMER

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2903, 16 October 1916, Page 4

FIGHT ON A STEAMER

TWO MEN IN HOSPITAL.

An affray Between three 6eamen em» ployed "on board the New Zealand Shipping Company's steamer Kaikoura took; place late on, Saturday night, the result of which is that two oT the men. are at present inmates of the Public* Hospital, and the third is in custody and will appear at the Magistrate's Court this morning to answer a. charge of assault and causing, actual bodily harm. All the men concerned are British subjects, and natives of the West Indies. From information supplied to the; police, it appears that John Marshall and Reginald Pierre had been ashore together. In the course of thoir travels they visited some hotels in the city., On returning to the v steamer they proceeded to tlie forecastle, and found! another seaman, named Gers Houm Simmons, lying in his bunk. The newcomers were evidently in a merry mood, and Simmons, taking exception to the noise, told them to either go to bunk or get out of the forecastle. .The two men, it is stated, pulled Simmons out of his bunk, and a scuffle ensued, during which, it is alleged, Marshall fiT<xf a revolver. Simmons 'secured a razor from somewhere, and is alleged to have slashed at Marshall and Pierre, with the result that the former received; several cuts about the body. Pierrei was also injured. When the affair was at its height Simmons succeeded in, wrenching the revolver from Marshall After matters had calmed down, tha three went to see the chief engineer of the Kaikoura. The police were then communicated with, and the services ofi Dr. Hendry were requested. Sergeant O'Halloran and Constable Murphy arrived with the doctor, and the latter, on examining Marshall and Pierre, ordered their removal to tho hospital* The police arrested Simmons, and took him to the watchhouse on Lambton

Quay, . • ' .. The three.men are described by tha police as being well educated; and they, can sneak English, fluently. On inquiry at the Hospital last evening it was ascertained that Marshall is badly wounded, but nothing'Berious is expeoted to happen in nis case. Pierre is not 60 badly hurt, and was reported to he progressing satisfactorily. .