FIGHT ON SHIP

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 110, 26 May 1937, Page 9

FIGHT ON SHIP

Fireman AHegedly Assaults Another FRICTION AMONG CREW A fireman from the TJnion Steam Ship Company's Kekerangu, Sidney Patterson Fairhall, appeared before Mr J. Miller, S.M., in the Napier Magistrate's Court yesterday afternoon chargied with assaulting another fireman so as t'o cause actual hodily harm. The injured man is now- an inmate oi the Napier Public Hospital with severe facial injuries and preliminary evidence by members of the ship's crew, who left Napier with the vessel yesterday, was taken before the hearing was adjourned until June 7. Friction between union and non-union members of the crew was referred to hy witnesses. Detective-Sergeant H. Nuttall opened the case by explaining that serious assault had taken place at midnight, and that the vessel was !n the stream and about to leave. As all the members of the crew were signed on in Australia, their evidence had to he taken at once, as they would disperse on arrival home. It was not anticipated that the injuries would prove fatal. Dr. W. D. FitzGerald gave evidence of an injured member of the crew named Brocksopp. ^BEe was partially unconscious, and suffering from extensive head injuries. It appeared that the jaw and skull might both he fractured, so that a good deal of /iolence had been used to inflict the injuries. _ To Mr S. H. Morrison, witness said that the possible fracture of the skull might be caused by a heavy fall but the fracture of the jaw could not. A gireaser on the vessel, William Bullman, said that a cabin he shared was opposite one used by the;accused, the injured man, and two others. Brocksopp came to the cabin and asked witness to have a drink, and after doing this witness went on watch, returning to the saloon later to see someone bathing Brocksopp's face. Witness and the injured man were non-union members of the crew, and there had been constant friction between the two factions. Witness did not know who was the cause of the injuries. - .

In cross-examination witness told Mr Morrison that when Brocksopp came to the cabin he was "quite merry." ' Brocksopp was in the cabin from eight to 10 minutes said William Hentchell, but later went to his own cabin, where the accused and others were. Witness then heard the sound of a scuffle and then Brocksopp returned, his face bruised and bloodstained gave witness his wallet and went on deck for a few minutes. He returned, and then accused eutered the cabin. Witness heard the sound of a blow and heard Brocksopp cry out "That's enough." Accused replied "That should finish you." Fairhall . later returned once more to the cabin, with two oi his cabin mates, and told witness to clear out, and 'threatened to assault him. Witness departed. There was blood on the floor, on Bullman's bunk, and on a stool. Brocksopp was a very peaceable man. Victor Mayer, fireman, said he saw Brocksopp at 12.30 a.m., as he staggered along the de'ck away from the fireman's quarters. His face was bloody and scarcely recognisable. Gaptain Malcolm McKenzie, master of the vessel, said that Fairhall joined the ship at Newcastle on May 7 as a fireman. Brocksopp first joined the ship in 1935, and was a non-union member. Many of the crew were non-union men, there being seven of them to three union men in the deck department and six non-union firemen to nine union men