STOWING AWAY

Hokitika Guardian, 29 August 1929, Page 1

STOWING AWAY

SHIPPING COMPANIES’ PROBLEM

WELUINUTON, Aug. 20

In recent months there have been numerous cases of men stowing away in ships leaving New Zealand for England. In most cases the men appear to have attempted to solve their unemployment ■ problem by secreting themselves on board departing oversea ships in the hope that the worst that would happen to them iii the event of their certain discovery after the vessels had got well away to sea would be enforced work as the price of a free trip to England. In consequence of this fancied immunity from more serious punishment on the part of the offenders, the oversea shipping companies arc finding themselves victimised by an increasing number of stowaways. Not only is there the aspect of the loss of passage money, and victualling to be considered but serious and often-tiines expensive problems hrise at way' ports in these days of passports. It is officially diitimia.tec that in order to abate the stowaway nuisance, drastic steps are being taken by the shipping companies. The commanders of ships have been instructed to prosecute every stowaway and to press for substantial penalties. Recent mail advices l’rbni London state that no fewer than four stowaway's were landed at Southhampton, wiiere they, were charged before the court, and each man was sentenced to one month’s imprisonment with hard labour. This was the first occasion on which such a sentence was imposed on stowaways. The presiding magistrate, in passing sentence, said the court was determined, to protect the shipping companies and do its. best to put a stop to the practice of stowing away in oversea ships.