CO129-328 - Governor Nathan - 1905 [1-6] — Page 595

COPY.

Enclosure 2. Ho

C. O.

24720 $87

Government base,

Hongkong. June, 1965. JUL 05

Sir,

I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt

on the 2nd. instant of your telegram of the previous day request- -ing me to insist on the crew of the S.S. "Thyra" being compelled to proceed to that vessel's destination in Japan.

2.

In this Colony, as I believe in other Colonies, and in the United Kingdom, refusal of duty on the part of seamen is an offence dealt with in accordance with the law on the subject and it is not within the competency of the executive to direct the Magistrate to deal with a case in any particular

manner.

3.

In the case of 14 men prosecuted on the 5th.

instant by Captain A. Bainbridge before the Marine Magistrate for impeding the voyage of the S.S. "Thyra" the Magistrate decid- -ed that the fact that that vessel was carrying conditional con- -traband consigned to private firms in Japan was not, in view of the known circumstances at the time of the Russian Ships in Far Eastern waters, sufficient to justify the men's refusal of duty and accordingly sentenced them to three weeks' imprisonment.

I am informed that an appeal is being made

4.

against this judgment.

Arthur Gladstone, Esq.,

Surtees Street,

West Hartlepool,

ENGLAN D.

I have,etc.,

(sh.) M. Nathan,

Governor, &c..