THE JANET NICOLL.

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 466, 26 April 1890, Page 5

THE JANET NICOLL.

KANAKA LABOUR. STATEMENT BY TWO OFFICERS. , Auckland, April 23. Reference has been made in our columns to the trouble with the crew of the steamer Janet Nicoll on account of the employment of Kanaka labour. Yesterday two ex-officers of the Janet Nicoll, Mr William Paton, late first officer, and Mr Alexander Gillan, second mate of the steamer, called on us and gave an account of the manner in which their services had been secured for the steamer, and regarding the “ sailors ” who compose the crew. Some interesting information relativo to the Kanakas who ship on colonial vessels, and are expected to be equal to able seamen, were furnished. Mr Paton says that he signed articles on the steamer at Sydney for a period of six months for a South Sea trip, as also did Mr Gillan. He understood that the ship was to be manned by competent Union seamen, or he would certainly not bavo signed. The captain said that he would have a proper crew on board on returning to Sydney from Newcastle after coaling. On the evening the vessel left for Newcastle, three weeks ago or so, the captain and the supercargo came on board, bringing a boat-load of Kanakas from shore, and Mr Paton was informed that this was portion of the crew. Four were deckhands and six for the stoke-hole. It afterwards transpired that the captain and agent for the vessel had gone to the South Sea Islands Home in Sydney, picked out these “ boys,” and shipped them for the cruise. THE KANAKAS AT SEA.

The Janet Nicoll left for Newcastle, and when on ths coast the first officer sent the boys up aloft to take in what sail was set, as it was coming on to biow. Not one of the Kanakas had ever been aloft before, but they got up somehow. In a few moments one after another came down to the deck without doing the work required of them. When asked why they had come down they all made the reply that they were “ too muchee sick, no savee sailorman work,” and forthwith became very sick indeed. Tne crew knew nothing of sea life, although shipped as able seamen. The Kanaka at the wheel, when ordered to put the wheel a-port hove it to starboard, and the officer on the bridge had to jump down continually to rectify the mistake in time. Sydney was reached again safely, and the officers were by this time sick of the crew, being almost afraid to sail with them on their cruise. “ Why, if anything happened through a mistake or blunder of one of these boys,” said Mr Paton, “ and we had collided with a vessel or met with any other mishap whilo on our watch, our certificates would have been cancelled—not suspended, but cancelled - and our livelihood would be gone. The Marine Board would accept no excuse. They would blame us at once for sailing with such a crew, and we would have only ourselves bo blame.” THREATENED WITH IMPRISONMENT.

The first officer requested to be set ashore at Sydney, unless a proper crew were shipped, as he could nob undertake to sail in a ship with non-seamen. The captain -at once told him that if he made the least attempt to go on shore he would prosecute him to the utmost rigour of the law, and have him imprisoned if possible. Mr Paton had perforce to stay on the ship. Three more Kanaka deck hands were brought on board here, and nob one of these had ever been to sea before. There was not one white sailor shipped. All were non-Unionists and nonseamen. Captain Henry informed his officers that he would ship a proper crow at Sydney, bub did not do so, and the vessel went to sea with a crew of seven Kanakas, not one of whom was an ordinary .seaman. One of them only, a half-caste from Honolulu, had ever done anything on board ship before. Most of the boys had been on the Queensland sugar plantations, where they served their time. When they were engaged the captain and supercargo informed them that the mate would very soon teich them a seaman’s work, bub this notion was of course absurd.

The Janet Nicoll left Sydney for Auckland last week, and coming across the officers say that they had a terribly anxious time with the crew. After great exertions they managed to get some sail on the vessel, but when a hard “blow " from the nor’-east, came on, it seemed as if the ship would nevor get through it. One of the officers was on the bridge, but every now and then he had to jump down to seize the wheel to prevent the vessel yawing broadside on to the sea, through the mistakes of the Kanaka steersman. The whole crew were equally “at sea ” when at sea. Tons and tons of water were every now and then coming down on the steamer’s decks, and the crew were all useless, almost every man being sick. “ IT WAS A SHAME,” saidMrPaton, “tosend those Kanakas to sea, andexpect tham bo doable seamen’s duty.” When it was necessary to take in sail the first officer had actually to go aloft and lay out on bho topsail-yard to stow the sail. The Kanakas could do nothing. Even in fine weather they were just as useless. “Tell a man to go forward on board,” said Mr Baton, “and he would go aft, and not a thing could we get them to do on the ship. We had a very anxious time of it coming down the coast, and nothing would induce me to sail in that ship again, with such a crew. The weather was very thick and dirty coming down the coast, and I told the Kanakas in my watch to keep a sharp look-out for a light, and about out to me at once if they saw anything. Well, there was a vessel close by, and I saw her lights on five occasions in different positions, bub she was not reported once. I didn’t expect that she would be. Sometimes she was on our port side, sometimes on our starboard, and I prayed that she would keep out of our road, for it was impossible for us to keep out of hers. We had to do the work of the crew, for not a man amongst them was the least I don’t blame them in the least, bub I blame the men that put them on board, while keeping white sailors out of a livelihood.” A QUEER CREW.

The mistakes made by the Kanaka crew would be amusing to seamen if the matter had not been so serious. The officers could nob expect tho man at the wheel to steer by a certain point of tho compass, so they had to give him strico injunctions to keep the wheel by “ that feller pint,” pointing out to him the direction on the compass. For a few moments all would be right, until the compass suddenly swung round ; then the unfortunate steersman lost his position and hove the wheel anywhere. One of these mistakes in heavy weather would be very serious, and it is here that the need of able seamen is very apparent. Then not a man amongst them knew a rope in the ship, consequently the two officers had to put the halliards and ropes into their hands and tell them to haul away,

When the steamer reached Auckland Messrs Paton and Gillan left her, refusing to remain under any circumstances. They were threatened with legal proceedings,bufj they said they would rather go to gaol than run the risk of losing everything by remaining with such a crew. Captain Henry was therefore forced to supply their places here, which he did alter considerable trouble. On Saturday afternoon the steamer left on her Island cruise with the same crew, on a four months’ trip to the Islands, including the Ellice, Gilbert, Marshall and Solomon groups under charter. “Hers,” said Mr Paton to us, “is a large British vessel, an 800 ton steamer, carrying passengers, going on a long cruise, literally without a crew. There is nob a seaman amongst the men on board, and I sincerely pity the officers in one way. If heavy weather is met with I'm sure I don’t know how the ship will get on. It‘s bad enough with that crew in fine weather. “ We came out of the vessel on principle, and I think we are about the first men that have made a stand on behalf of the Mercantile Marine Officers’ Association. Wo are here with only a few days’ pay in our pockets, left to get back to Sydney as well as we can, and I think we are entitled to some, recognition at the hands of the Association. Besides this, we have really made a 3tand on behalf of the Owners’ Association, tho Seamen's Union, the underwriters, and the owners of the ship.” ACTION BY THE UNIONS. The Mercantile Marine Officers’ Association of Australia and New Zealand intend to take the matter in hand, and make some move regarding it. This Union, although only lately formed, is already a powerful one, and includes the officers of almosb every steamer in New Zealand, and several of the Australian colonies. The Seamen’s Union are determined to do something in tho matter, but their course of action, they say, is nob quite clear. There is not a white seaman or stoker on board the Janet Nicoll, so that they cannot call on any to come out of the ship. The local representatives of the Union realise that the fact of steamers with such crew 3 being allowed to go to sea is doing a serious injury to the chief purposes for which the Union was brought into existence. Messrs Paton and Gillan both possess masters' certificates. Captain Highman, Secretary to the New Zealand Branch of the Mercatinle Marine Officers’ Association, who arrived this morning from Sidney, states that the two officers will bo afforded substantial aid by the Association. They return to Sydney in a week. AFFIDAVIT. Auckland, N.Z., April 23, 1890. Having read the attached statement relative to the steamer Janet Nicoll, we hereby solemnly declare that it is true in every particular. (Signed) War. Paton. A. Gillan. Sworn before mo, a Justice of the Peace, of the colony of New Zealand, this, the 23rd of April, 1890. William McCullough, J.P,