SAILORS' HARDSHIPS.

North Otago Times, Volume CVII, Issue 17169, 28 March 1927, Page 2

SAILORS' HARDSHIPS.

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A DIFFICULT PROBLEM,

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CHRISTCHURCH, March 25. Because, according to their story, they had been inadequately fed, four members pf the crew of the Harmattan in Lyttelton harbour, refused work, and they were arrested on Saturday morning. Ahmed Bachi was charged later in the Magistrate's Court that he Ayilfuily dis_ obeyed lawful commands on the high seas. Ahmed Bachi, Aksel Berg, Walker Senior, and Knud Morlensen, were charged that at. Lyttelton they were guilty of combining with other members of the crew to impede the progress of the voyage while the ship was in safe harbour. • The cases were heard by Mr Mosley, S.M., Mr Hensely appearing for j accused, and Mr Buchanan for the master of the ship. Mr Hensley asked for a remand until Tuesday, but Mr Buclianan objected, saying the cost of the delay of the ship was £75 per day. Mr Hensley said the men had ^been so badly treated that they did ; not want to go back to the ship. ! The Magistrate: They can't stop here. On»s ofl them is certainly an l alien and probably they will have I to be deported. We are not going to have them here. I Andrew James Clare, master of the ship, said Senior was an able t seaman and the other three firemen. Bachi had malingered, and tried to j get "away from the ship at Hono(lulu. He had been put in irons for jrefusing dufy. Concerning the food, >the captain said they had been for i a time without butter and potatoes, } but the provisions were never short. j He could not replace the cook sooner than he had, and. all on I board had suffered equally from the i ! cooking. J j Senior, in his evidence, declared [that the food had been bad all the j voyage, and he had had to 'spend his own mofiey to supplement the rations. j The magistrate said it was, clear the men had committed a serious j offence. If the complaints about the ! food were well grounded, they l could have appealed to the shipjping master at the port. If the men jwere prepared to go on board he I was willing that they should be jplaced on board without any other inenalty. If they refused they would jbe placed on hoard just the same. I Mr Hensley announced, after con- [ sulting with ' his clients, that the 'men still refused to return to work. { The Magistrate: Very well, each |man will he conyicted and sentenc- | ed to one months' imprisonment, land is ordered to be put on board 'the ship before she leaves the coast • of New Zealand.