RESIDENT MAGISTRATE’S COURT.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 5177, 25 October 1877, Page 3

RESIDENT MAGISTRATE’S COURT.

Wednesday, October 25. (Before H. S. Wardell, Esq., R.M.) DISOBEYING ORDERS; Seven seamen belonging te the Sobieballion, named James Dali, John O’Connor, Robert White, John Wilson, Charles Orewes, Harry Tichenor, and WilliamMoAuliffe, were charged with having on Tuesday disobeyed orders on board the barque Schiehallion. Captain Levack, master of the vessel, stated that the defendants refused to go to work when ordered, and after being warned of the consequences if they still persisted in their refusal, they refused to obey orders. The vessel was taking iu wool at the time, and it was urgently necessary that the whole of the hands should be kept at work, and therefore the present proceedings were had' recourse to. The captain, on being cross-examined by one of the men, stated that he had promised them their discharge from the vessel if they went on with their work properly. The discharge, he admitted, would have been given on Monday if the work had been properly proceeded with, which he stated was not the case. The defendants stated that they had been badly treated on the voyage out, and in consequence they desired to get clear of the vessel. They admitted that they refused duty, although they were willing to return to work if allowed their discharge, ;as promised by the captain. They complained that they had no money to defend themselves, as their wages had not been paid. The captain said that it was only reasonable that he should refuse to supply money to the men to bring an action against himself. Mr. Warden said he considered the disobedience of orders proved, ! 'and sentenced the defendants to seven days* imprisonment, and ordered two days’ wages to be deducted from their pay. In the afternoon a seaman on board the Silas Pish was charged with disobeying orders on board that vessel. He was dischargedwith a caution, as the master expressed bis willingness to take him back.