“A FRIENDLY MUTINY”

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 982, 27 May 1930, Page 1

“A FRIENDLY MUTINY”

Trouble on Steamer June

BACON-AND-EGG CURE USED

THERE has been mutiny on the high seas. Captain Hans Hannevig-, of the Norwegian tramp steamer June, reported on the vessel’s arrival in port last Tuesday evening that the members of his crew refused to obey orders while at sea and would not work the ship. The members of the crew complained of the lack of wholesome food when the steamer was off Nauru and, in spite of the orders from their officers, they refused to turn to. The fires burned low and the ship drifted.

On the arrival of the June from Nauru Island with a cargo of phosphate, Captain Hannevig reported the conduct of his crew to Mr. Robert Millar, the Norwegian Consul in Auckland, who conducted au Inquiry yesterday. But this inquiry appears to have been carried out under a cloak of secrecy, and neither the Consul nor the captain will divulge any information concerning it for publication. “I don’t see that it has any public interest attached to it, and I will not discuss it with you," said Captain Hannevig when approached by a Sun representative this morning. “Yes, my men did stop work and disobeyed orders; but it was a friendly sort of mutiny. There was no strife. They wanted more food, but I didn’t know how long we would be lying off the island. We might have been there for a month, so I had to cut their rations down. Of course, we had plenty of preserved food aboard, but not. sufficient fresh food to last us a long time,” continued Captain Hannevig, who was difficult indeed to interview. "I ordered them bacon and eggs j n the morning, and they all got down to work again,” admitted the captain, smilingly. “As for the inquiry, I don’t see how it can interest you. It is just to find out wliat the trouble is.” This explanation concerning the inquiry was all that was offered. Members of the crew, many of whom flocked about a pressman when he went on board the vessel at the King’s Wharf, denounce in no uncertain tones the action of their skip-

per. The spokesman of the party related a most dramatic tale, and his emphatic narrative was supported by occasional remarks from the crew standing round. On a previous visit to the Auckland port a number of the crew compiled a letter to The Sun, alleging fil'iiy and unhealthy conditions on board, and the lack of wholesome food while at sea. But owing to the nature of the letter It was found to be unsuitable for publication. And the vivid story tokl by the crew, flavoured strongly with adjectives, certainly dealt with hardships and discontent. According to tliem, trouble on board has been brewing for some time, and it reached a climax near Nauru when the men were suffering from the burning heat and discomfort of the tropical region. GRUMBLING BEGINS “The whole trouble has been the food and the general living conditions in the fo'c’sle.” said the spokesman. “There was trouble before we left on the voyage, and some of the crew held the vessel up for some hours. En route to Nauru the crew continued to grumble, but complaints were useless, so we worked on. Then, when we arrived at Nauru, -we found we had to lie off the Island for some time, waiting for a buoy, and for this purpose the engines were kept going and the vessel was run farther out to sea whenever she drifted too close in. “It was while we were lying-off, that the cook told us the food rations had been cut down, and we were only to receive certain food. Well, we couldn’t work on the allowance and the men became more discontented than ever. The firemen, who were working on four-hour watches, were about to change over one afternoon when the announcement first came to our ears. The firemen who were going below refused to carry on without food and, being refused, immediately gathered amidships. The rest of the crew was soon with them and the working of the vessel ceased. The men came up from the stokehold and the fires burned low. The old ship drifted,” he continued. “Here, try some of this coffee,” interjected a member of the crew who came from the direction of the galley with cup in hand. But the Pressman prepared to rely upon his imagination, declined with thanks. “MEN HEATED UP”

“And all the chaps had ugly looks when they crowded amidships,” continued the spokesman. “Each man was heated up and anything might have happened if the skipper had come out of the saloon. The skipper wouldn’t come out and the only communication we got from within was by means of the steward through the porthole. “The crew didn’t seem to realise that it was a form of mutiny they were undertaking, and every man felt •well justified that he was doing the right thing in the circumstances. We couldn't go on standing that kind of treatment. Then we went aft, and the officers came down from the bridge and went along to each man individually and said; ‘Will you turn to?’ but in every case the answer was a decided ‘No.’ Then it was getting late so we turned in for the night, and the next morning we got some decent food so we all started work again.” concluded the speaker. The June has been employed in the phosphate trade for the past few months and her crew is made up for the most part of Norwegians. Tho l vessel is owned by Hans Hannevig, | and is of 4,340 tons. It was built in i 1929 at Sunderland.