GANGWAY GUARD'S NEGLECT OF DUTY

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 158, 23 March 1918, Page 7

GANGWAY GUARD'S NEGLECT OF DUTY

SIX MONTHS' IMPRISONMENT,

■ In the Magistrate's Court' yesterday before Mr. S. E. M'Carthy S.M., two • serious charges under the War Ite^ula- ■ tions were, preferred against a young man .named William Dunn, quartermaster of an oversea vessel. K. Macassey, of the Crown Law Office, appeared to prosecute. Dunn was charged that on recent dates, at limaru and Lyttelton, being • -si person stationed as a guard at the gangway, of an oversea vessel in possession of the Crown, lie left the ves- ' sel when lie should havo remained on . .guard. Mr. Macaseey, in opening, stated that the steamer in question was a transport, bringing out troops from England. At linuii'ii the accused was placed oil guard by the chief officer, his hours of watch being from 6 p.m. to inidnight. He absented himself from ' .'the vessel, .and when he returned some 'hours later he was drunk. . At Lytteltou he again left the watch, and on returning he'absolutelj; refused to resume duty.' At 'Wellington, also, he failed to carry out hif duties in a proper manner. Tho breach of duty, counsel said, ivns very serious, as it was important.'that all oversea vessels should be properly guarded, and under • the circumstances he asked that a substantial penalty be imposed. Evidence was given in support of counsel's statement by the captain and ■ chief officer 6i the vessel. According "■'to the chief officer, the accused had stated that no was tired of the ship, •and desired to get out of it. ' The Magistrate said l that it was not Jin ordinary case of failing to do duty. . It was most, important that gangways . of overseas vessels should be properly protected- in: order that undesirablo! characters should be kept off these ships. . The accused' had flatly refused to carry out his duty-. A sentence of six months' imprisonm'ent was. imposed in respect to the first charge, and accused was convicted and discharged on.the second. '