NOW AN N.Z. PRIZE

Auckland Star, Volume LXXII, Issue 187, 9 August 1941, Page 8

NOW AN N.Z. PRIZE

BARQUE PAMIR

GOVERNMENT ACTS

FAMOUS SAILING SHIP

SEIZED IN WELLINGTON

(Dy Telegraph.- Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON, this day. The world-famous Finnish barque Pamir has been seized as a prize by the Customs authorities in Wellington.

Referring to the public notice in the Wellington newspapers to-day setting out a Supreme Court writ served against the Pamir, the actingPrime Minister. Mr. Nash, stated that the ship was seized in prize by the Customs authorities in Wellington acting in concert with the Government of the United Kingdom and the other Governments of the British Commonwealth. It was understood that similar steps were being taken elsewhere in respect of Finnish vessels.

"According to prize law," said Mr. Ifeeh, "the ship and her cargo passes into the custody of the Supreme Coqrt and application to the Supreme Court in relation to- th® disposal of the property in question will be made in due course. *'It is understood that an application in relation to the cargo is now pending. The cargo consists of guano loaded in the Seychelles Islands. The vessel although owned in Finland, is under charter to a British company." Dominion's First Prize The prize jurisdiction of the Supreme Court was one of considerable interest and antiquity, but had rarely been exercised in Australia and New Zealand, said Mr. Nash. One case affecting an Italian steamer had arisen in the Supreme Court of West Australia. The present was the first occasion on which the Supreme Court of New Zealand had been called upon to exercise the jurisdiction in prize. The Pamir is a steel four-masted barque of 2799 tons, built by the Hamburg firm of Blohm and Voss in 1905.