GOADED TO DEATH?

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 528, 11 May 1933, Page 5

GOADED TO DEATH?

(Press Assn. —

LEAPS OVERBOARD . SHIP'S CREW COMPLAINS OF BRUTALITY BY BO'SUN VICTIMISATION ALLEGED

By Telegraph — Copyright).

Wellington, Wednesday. Thirty of the crew of the Mahia appeared before Mr. E. Page, S.M., this afternoon. Nine were. charged with wilful disobedience of a comi mand and 21 with being absent without leave. \ Mr. H. F. O'Leary for the Shaw . Savill Company outlined the case. (When the Mahia was a week off New | Zealand, an altercation occurred be[tween a seaman named Winter, and the boatswain, and eventually led to i blows and blood being drawn from Winter 's face. After they were separated, Winter leaped overboard. When the vessel arrived at New Plymouth, an investigation was made, and the conclusion reaehed that the boatswain was not responsible. for , Winter 's death. No charge had been brought. ' Since leaving New Plymouth the ,crew had decided not to Work the vessel unless the boatswain Was removed. The vessel arrived at Wellingi ton on Friday, and on Monday the crew sent a deputation to the cap- • 1 tain who refused the request for the boatswain's removal, and gave permission for the deputation to go ashore to get advice. Subsequently some of the crew re- , f used work ordered by the "boatswain. When the ship was taken into the

stream, seven of the seamen and a ; number of firemen left. Captain Andrews gave evidence on these lines. The accused men in evidence said /that from the day they left London, the boatswain had been "getting on to" Winters calling him terrible names. He goaded him into striking him. "I never refused an order," said one witness, "only from the boatswain. We are all willing to go back provided the boatswain is put out. We have no complaint against the captain." At the conclusion of the evidence, Mr. Ongley for the men, said, he had nothing to say on the merits of the case. The accused were apparently honest men, believing the boatswain 'had goaded Winters to his death. •■They preferred imprisonment and deportation rather than sail with him. The magistrate said he would give a decision next morning. '