NAVIGATION. OF. COOK STRAIT

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 45, 18 November 1918, Page 7

NAVIGATION. OF. COOK STRAIT

. BREACH-OF WAR. EEGULATIONS. : ' -Before Mr. F. V. Frjzoiy.S.M., in the 'Itliigis'trate'e Court on Saturday nioi'iiinj, Cn'ptnin David Samiiel, master of an overseas vessel, pleaded guilty to a broach of the.navigation, rules ■under the iWai , Kegiiiations. The facts were that, the -enptain,' rtose vessel, was on a. voyage from Auckland' to "Wellington, was iiisjriicted by Captain Kail-Thompson not to navigate his. vessel in thei tidal portion of X'ook Strait except during daylight. .' Mr.- P. S. K..- Slacassey, of the Crown Law Office, prosecuted, and Captain Chudley appeared'i'orthe defendant, who ,was at sea, and pleaded guilty oh his behalf. , ' , v It was explained en behalf of the defendant; that he had been in the...-At-lantic- trade during the .war period,' and it was sbmeirliat of a relaxation to visit New Zealand. It was bright moonlight when_ he came .through tlie etrait.s, and the distance was only 45 miles. Captain Hall-Thompson, Naval Adviser, gave for.lnal evidence as to .issuing instructions to the defendant, and.said that he did not wish to.,press for a heavy •penalty: ' The . Magistrate recognised .that this was the first offence of the kind Hint had come before the Court, but the difficulty of .imposing a ligjit penalty was that masters of other vessels might be tempted to take risk-?., Ho referred to the loss of the Wimniera, and .said th.it in. view, of the f-act that Captain HallTliqnipson had not pressed for a heavy penalty he would impo;e a lisht fino, but 'he wisliotl it to he distinctly understopd that in any further offpnees of the same, nnturo the penalty would lie made very severe. .The defendant was fined .£lO and costs. .