TRUCULENT SEA COOK.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 3681, 16 November 1912, Page 10

TRUCULENT SEA COOK.

CRUISER TO A SKIPPER’S AID

A narrative of the insubordination of a sea cook was related at Grimsby, when Thomas Ivingham was charged with disobeying the skipper of the fishing trawler King Athelstan. The skipper, George Mndows, said the defendant was shipped as a steward. Soon after the voyage began lie went on the bridge to the witness and created a disturbance because lie could not find any crockery, or knives and forks. He was abusive, and refused to attend to his duties, whereupon the witness ordered him into the forecastle. Again defendant was abusive, hut finally he went to the forecastle, where he remained during tho whole of tho voyage, refusing to do a stroke of work.

“As ci result,” the skipper continued, “I had to do .all the cookin'; for the first four days, and then, as the weather cot bad) and I had to be oil the bridge most of tho time, the engineers took alternate turns in the galley. After wo had been out eight days and the defendant still refused to work, I had no alternative hut to cut tho trin short. On our way home T sighted H.M.K. Skipjack, the fishery cruiser, and I signalled to the commander informing him of my difficulty and asked! him to semi an escort to take the defendant off. The Skipjack lowered a boat, but owing to the very li'uJ weather it was unable to conic alongside the trawler. Tier commander then advised me to ‘man handle 7 the defendant and put him in irons. Tut I told him that unfortunately .1 had none on board. Tho commander then said he would, send a wireless message to Grimsby, ordering police to be in attendance to arrest the defendant when wo arrived.

“As we approached Grimsby I told some of the crew to lock the defendant in tho forecastle, hut he picked up a large piece of wood and! threatened to brain the first man who 'touched him. His attitude was so threatening that none dared go near him. As the vessel was passing through, a lock the defendant suddenly rushed on deck, jumped ashore, and got away Ix'foro anyone could' roach him.”

The defendant said the skipper was as much,to blame as lie was. and complained that lie was Tcept on a diet of bread and watar throughout the voyage. . The (Stipendiary : It is quite c \ H'f lit you are a lawless man, and any treatment you received was justified by your conduct. There are previous convictions against you—one for stealing a sailing boat and another for stealing a fishing smack. I cannot do less than sentence you to six weeks' imprisonment with hard labor.. f