CAPTAIN CHARGED

Hokitika Guardian, 25 November 1930, Page 8

CAPTAIN CHARGED

AUCKLAND PROSECUTION SUCCEEDS. AUCKLAND, November 21. As the result of a prosecution by the Marine Department. Geoffrey George, master of ,the steamer Hikurangi, appeared before Mr F. K. Hunt, S.M., in the Police. Court charged with . taking his ship to sea without a wireless ‘installation/hud yjrith/carrying five more passengers than the number allowed by his certificate.

Mr Hubble, who appeared for the Marine Department, sniff that ,‘the, vessel had a certificate of survey as a foreign going steamer. The usual crew was fifteen, but on tin’s trip to Norfolk Island, they had a special permit to take three more who were Signed on as members of the crew. On the return trip, however, they brought, back four or five passengers, making a total of twenyt-two or twenty-three on board. The largest number which the ship was entitled to carry without being equipped with wireless Avas nineteen.

Mr George pleaded not guilty on behalf of the skipper. He said that one of three extra taken down to Norfolk Island was not allowed to land then by the authorities \\dio requested Captain George to bring hack three or four people who had been stranded on the island and could not afford to pay their fares back to New Zealand via Sydney. Captain George carried an extra lifeboat on account of the additional complement

Captain George Avas convicted and oidered to pay costs “The lives of people on board the ship are in the hands of the master.” said Mr Hunt. “The matter of failing to carry a radio is a serious one. In any case, defendant should have cabled from Norfolk Island for .permission to carry* extra passengers.