“JERVIS BAY” TROUBLE

Hokitika Guardian, 26 June 1928, Page 2

“JERVIS BAY” TROUBLE

JERVIS BAY’S STORY. REPORTS MUCH EXAGGERATED. (United Press Association.—By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.) LONDON, June 24. The Captain of the Jervis Bay advised that he considered that an escort by the warship Suffolk is now unnecessary. The latter has, therefore been ordered to resume her course to Colombo. COLOMBO, June 25. The liner Jervis Bay has been sighted, and she is due in port before nine o’clock. A preliminary official inquiry will lie held aboard the liner liefore aTrytmo is allowed to come ashore. COLOMBO, June 25.

The passengers by the Jervis Bay state that the reports of the affairs were greatly exaggerated. Shortly after the steamer left Fremantle, eight stowaways were discovered. They were given work at cleaning the brass, and were provided with cabins. They also were given the same food as the passengers, with whom they fed. The stowaways complained of the food, and they declined to work. On Tuesday last they made themsdlves highly objectionable. They molested the ladies on the promenade deck, on Which they were not allowed. The captain then ordered them to be confined. Led by a half-caste Cuban, who acted as their ringleader, they offered a stout resistance. The crew armed themselves with life preservers, and, after a fierce fight, the stowaways were handcuffed, but they continued to struggle. Eventually the hose was turned on them, and they were washed down the gangway into the isolation ward, where there was several inches of water on the floor.

The next night, apparently finding a crowbar which had been overlooked, they broke out. Four of flic stowaways were found in the passengers’ quarters. They were recaptured, and were again confined.

On Thursday morning a fire was seen issuing from bc'ow. It was ascertained that they had set the bedding, pillows auff clothes alight, thus necessitating the blazing mass being thrown out of the portholes. The passengers believe that this was merely intended to frighten them, and that it was not the intention of the stowaways to fire the ship.

The hose was again used, and the fire was promptly put out. It is also reported that, a miserophono was installed near the foot of the stairs, attached to the woed, so as to detect plots, and that by this means plans of the stowaways to fire the ship were discovered, enabling them to be easily dealt with.

ARREST OF STOWAWAYS. (Received this day at 9 n.m.) LONDON, June 25. Four hundred passengers signed a memorial to Captain Daniel expressing appreciation of the tact, ability, and leniency, wherewith he and his officers dealt with a difficult situation. The signatories stated they had not observed any sigils of the crews active sympathy with the stowaways hut heard many strongly condemning their insubordinate behaviour.

The hosepipe was turned on as a last resort. The stowaways were practically washed into the isolation ward, which was flooded to a depth of a few inches. Thereafter all was quiet, hut they escaped from the latter by means of an iron bar and were discovered at four in the morning in the passengers’ quarters. They were re-arrested after a struggle and confined under double hatches.

’•We are gravely concerned by the untrue rumours concerning the alleged attitude of the crew. We saw nothing but the crew’s active loyalty in assisting the commander and officers.” LONDON, June 2d. The Central News states the Colombo stowaways were discovered shortly after they were out of Fremantle. The chief officer ordered light work and gave them cabins and allowed meals with the passengers. They were unsatisfied, particularly one, who was described as a half-caste Cuban. They complained of the food, used had language, and flatly declined to work. Told, if they refused to- work and behave they would be imprisoned, the warning was ignored. Matters came to a head when certain stowaways were found on the promenade deck, where they had been forbidden, allegedly molesting lady passengers who were dancing. The ladies, much alarmed, appealed to the captain, who ordered them to he arrested and confined to the isolation ward.

The stowaways strongly resisted and there was a fierce fight ’tween decks with members of the crew armed with life preservers, which considerably alarmed the passengers. COLOMBO, June 25. The Enquiry Board, of a preliminary nature, conducted by the principal collector of customs, at the conclusion, decided that the men he tried locally by a Marine Court of Enquiry. The. eight accused, all stowaways, consist of four Englishmen, three Scostman, and one American negro, were removed hv the police to a remand jail. The passengers disembarked after the enquiry.

PASSENGERS’ NA R RAT IVES. (Received this day at. 9.30 a.m.) LONDON, Juno 25. A British United Press message gives passengers narratives. ’! luce nights out from Fremantle the stowaways were discovered and immediately became insubordinate. They burned beds, broke a stairway and threatened to set lire to the ship. The alarm of tho women and children probably decided the captain to send out an S.O.'S. “Tile trouble lasted only .a lew hours. We were surprised that the story of a mutiny got abroad. There was nothing like it.’’ said one pas-

senger. Another version states After the stowaways declined to work they were imprisoned in a cabin, set fire to the bedding and thrust the blazing mattresses out of the portholes. There was no disturbance among the crew. The stowaways gave no trouble after they were brought under control a> d placed in a room by themselves. The Slavol’s marines had nothing to do.

The leader of Lhe stowaways is a Cuban. He boasts he has done only three weeks work in six years. The passengers add that the stowaways were desperate ah night time, frightening the women and children. They also attempted to cut off the fresh water supply. They caused uneasiness for five nights. When the Slavol’s party boarded, the Cuban remarked, “What a fine set of Boy Scouts.’’ The passengers agree that there was little cause for fright, though for a few hours the situation seemed desperate owing to the stowaways ugly threats of what they intended to do. COLOMBO, June 25. Further interviews with Jervis Bay passengers disclosed' the general opinion that nothing approaching a mutiny occurred. They were amazed at the alarming wireless messages sent out. Tho officers suggest the ir.es-

ages must have been mutilated. The latter say the Cuban was most abusive! and demanded the passengers pay bis fare. He boasted that ho had travelled as a stowaway eleven tines and passengers always paid bis fare. He told the passengers they were the measliest lot’" of —— bo had ever travelled with. The stowaways one night broke out of prison and invaded the saloon during a concert, snouting. The mate ordered them to clear out. They jeered insultingly till the officers knocked down the ring leader. Then there was a general melee between passengers, officers and stowaways followed. Later in the evening tlie stowaways ran amok along the decks, and terrified the women and /children, opening cabin doors and shouting insults. A second struggle followed in which four naval ratings gave valuable assistance. Eventually the disturbers were battened down. While awaiting the Slavol, the officers adopted new tactics' and began starving the stowaways, with the result that -a lien the marines boarded, they found them subdued and easily controlled. The officers are emphatic that the crow i)iil not participate in the trouble, but someone slipped an iron bar down a ventilator to the prisoners, facilitating their escape.

STOWAWAYS GAOLED. (Received this day at 10.15 a.m.) COLOMBO, June 25. The stowaways were convicted on four counts and sentenced to five-and a half months imprisonment. INSTRUCTIONS TO CAPTAIN. SYDNEY. .Tune 20. Mr Larkin said the Jervis Bay incident was merely a storm in a teacup and that he would not comment on the captain’s action till he obtained a personal explanation. He bad instructed the Captain not to provide the press with any more exciting messages.