THE WAITOMO CASE

Hokitika Guardian, 24 March 1927, Page 4

THE WAITOMO CASE

COOK CLAIMS DAM AG FS FOR j LOSS OF POSITION. I | i AUCKLAND, .March 22. J An echo of a seaman’s strike at Auckland in February, 1020, was heard in the Supreme Court to-day. when x ci'aim for £2O damages was made by Ernest Arnold, ship’s cook (Air Cahill), against Thomas Frederick Anderson, union secretary (Air Holmdcn) ami i David Frederick Wright, greaser (Air | Vialoux), on the grounds that they I ((inspired with seamen and the Union I Steam Ship Company, Ltd., to procure plaintiff’s dismissal from service. -Mr Cahill said that in February, 1929, when the incidents occurred which gave rise to the present, action | plaintiff was cook on the steamer Wai- ; tomo, on which Wright was a fireman. Anderson was then secretary of the | Auckland branch of the seamen’s union. t)u February 2,'J, 1929. when the vessel was at Auckland the breakfast menu included sausages, and complaint was made by several firemen, including' j Wright, who acted as spokesman, that j these were bad. Tbcv were shown to I the cook, who admitted they were sour 1 and immediately provided other meat, j The merits of these particular sans-' ages had been thoroughly discussed in the Police Court when the firemen of I the Waitomo were each lined Co for! refusing to obey lawful commands. Air C.'abill : ft may seem trivial, but I it resulted in tbe Union Company j being forced to lay un tbe vessel for I some months. . His Honor; Some months! What, ! on account of these sausages? j Air Cahill: AVell, yes. They were tbe j primary cause. The firemen stated! that if tbe cook were not , dismissed | -.icy would not sail. Feeling against) 1 plaintiff then spread to other vessels, | and Anderson finally advised plaintiff to leave the ship, as if he did not Ihcrc would he no hope of the AVaitomo securing a crew. When Arnold stated that he had no intention of leaving. Air Cahill eontin-j lied, Anderson said tho vessel would he j declared “black.” This was evidently clone, as the AVaitomo lay idle in the ' harbour for months. The Union Com- j pany at last took defendant from the • Wnitomo and placed him on the Kni-! toke, but'it was not deemed advisable to leave, him there, as there were further signs of trouble. TJe was given a day’s wages and had not lieen employed by the company since, as it was feared trouble would be created whereevor be event. His Honor: That is what is known as tbe “ brotherhood of labour,” I suppose. * The hearing was adjourned.