SINKING OF A RUMRUNNER.

Evening Star, Issue 21935, 23 January 1935, Page 6

SINKING OF A RUMRUNNER.

Just on six years ago the Canadian auxiliary schooner I’m Alone, a suspected rum-runner, was sunk off the eastern coast of the United States in a battle with coastguard craft. A member of the crew of the I’m Alone died from wounds received during the affair. The incident provoked an acute controversy over the legality of the action of the coastguard authorities. At the time President Hoover’s Administration was endeavouring to “ save face,” and was making desperate efforts to enforce the Prohibition law, but without any great measure of success. The matter was submitted to arbitration in 1929, and now in 1935 the result is announced. The main questions to bo determined in this case, with much conflict of evidence, were whether the schooner, which was on the Canadian registry, was within or without the territorial limit when she ivas called upon to stop, and whether the American patrol vessel had any right under the terms of tho treaty between the two countries to follow and attack her when she refused the summons. Britain and Canada had given substantial help to the United States in its efforts to stamp out liquor smuggling by extending, by special treaties, the threemile territorial limit to one of twelve miles, so that the American coastguard service might have greater opportunity to arrest the adventurous lawbreakers, and they in turn would run greater risks in coming near the shore. In a convention between Britain and tho United States, signed at Washington in 1924, the British Government agreed to raise no objection to tho boarding of British vessels outside territorial watei's in oi’dcr that inquiries might be addressed to those on board and an examination be made of tho ship’s papers for tho purpose of ascertaining whether there were alcoholic beverages on board for importation into the United States. It was provided that the rights conferred under this head should not be exercised at a greater distance from the coast of the United States than could be traversed i)i one hour by the suspected vessel. It Avas agreed that any claim for compensation by a British vessel on account of improper or unreasonable exercise of tho rights mentioned above should bo referred for the joint consideration of two persons, one to bo nominated by each of the high contracting parties. This commission consisted of two judges, one a member of tho United States bench of high standing, and the other the Chief Justice of Canada. Very exhaustive inquiries were made and the evidence thoioughly sifted. It appeared at the time from the accounts that were published that the American coastguard officials, believing the Pan Alone to bo a notorious rum-runner, in their eagerness to catch her wont too far. When she avas sighted every available craft joined in the hunt. One fast revenue cutter got within hailing distance of the I’m Alone, and when tho latter refused to stop she was sunk. Tho American admiral in charge of the area vigorously defended this act, and said that tho failure of the captain of tho I’m Alone to stop was entile .justification for ivfiat followed. Tho report of the commission, however, is in flat opposition to this statement. It found that the mission and use of tho rnin-rmmcr was unlawful, it found that the sinking of her by the United States coastguard cutter was also unlawful; therefore, the United States Government apologises and pays damages. Tho inquiry was protracted. That was all to the good, for the whole incident could be viewed in better perspective when tho sand in the hour glass had run sufficiently far to allow the heat of tho controversy to pass and a calm and dispassionate judgment to bo made. .What 'is important now is the demon-.

stratum that is afforded ol' the value of arbitration in international disputes. In times gone by an incident such as this might have provoked war. To-day a calm and reasoned decision by two judges settles the dispute. The judgment goes against the American Government, which promptly accepts the verdict ami makes arrangements for fulfilling the conditions imposed. A cardigan and axe found in the Holdsmith mountain hut, which it was thought might have belonged to Harold Goodman, the missing Greytown resident, have been claimed by a Masterton resident, and it has been decided, in view of no sign or definite indication o° Mr Goodman’s whereabouts, to discontinue the search. All the parties have now been withdrawn. The missing man went on a lone camping expedition, and parties have been searching for nearly a week. Some of the horticulturists who have attended the national show in Dunedin say that in comparing the_ northernifrown flowers with those raised in the south the latter seem to have more body in them after being cut for a couple of davs or longer. this is attributed to the difference in the soils. The Caiitcrburv loams and the Otago and Southland heavy soils apparently irjve some Ivincis ol llowcrs, tliG cljililitis especially, the substance that is not always found in blooms that come from the lighter soils of the north. Burning gorsc on flic road line near the Milburn Hall yesterday morning put up a smoke screen that was responsible lor the collision of ears driven by Air R. A. Fountain, of Dunedin, traveller for the Kaiapoi Woollen Company, and Mr Frank Arthur Webb, of Invercargill, who was accompanied by two lady passengers. Mr Fountain had stopped owing to the volume of smoke obscuring his vision, when his car was struck by the other machine. Mr Webb’s car overturned as a result of the impact, but the occupants escaped with minor injuries. They were taken to the Milton Hospital, where, after receiving medical attention, two were discharged but one of the ladies was kept in the institution suffering from head injuries. Mr Fountain escaped with a very slight injury. Both motor cars were fairly extensively damaged. The damage to the cargo of the ship Waipawa through a bilge leak into the hold at Auckland is less serious than was feared when it was discovered that tiie No. 2 hold had been accidentally flooded. The bottom layer was reached yesterday, and it was found that the “water, after reaching the insulated portion, had frozen, and so stopped further damage. About 1,000 carcasses were affected. It is hoped that the ship will sail late to-night for Wellington. Sir James Young has arrived in Auckland from Wellington, en route to Russell at the request of Mr Coates, who will be personally conducting the Duke of Gloucester through the northern districts during Friday and Saturday. Notwithstanding that the tour is entirely unofficial and more or less of a private nature, it requires direction to ensure not only police and transport, but adequate postal and telegraphic arrangements at various points. Sufficient launch facilities for deep sea fishing for the Royal party are in the hands of the Government. —Press Association. The rumour in town this morning as to a dispute in the stonemasons’ trade took all sorts of shapes. The facts are that a question has arisen as to overtime pay, and that an official ruling has been given that the award has not lapsed, therefore so far as the general trade is concerned all overtime worked has to bo paid for; hut as to the Post Office job, as the conditions are somewhat different, the authorities in Wellington still have that case under consideration. Passers-by the structure that is to be the Dunedin Post Office are asking the meaning of the little white Hag that was hoisted yesterday on a staff surmounting the topmost corner of the steel work. It is the signal, traditional with the building trade, that the frame of the roof is on. The announcement thus made means the completion of the all-important initiatory section of the Fletcher Construction Company’s contract, a stage in the work upon which builders naturally congratulate all concerned. In this particular instance Mr Fletcher and his colleagues have the satisfaction of knowing that the assembling and the joining up of this huge frame have been _ accomplished without mishap or accident in the hoisting and fitting. The two electric cranes, now perched on the upper limbs, have been handled well, taking the heaviest loads as though they were bundles of feathers. To the everyday beholders the operations so far on the job constitute a triumph of thought and skill. The rivetting noise will have to continue for a little longer, but every clay brings it nearer to a finish.

Those readers of the ‘ Evening Star ’ who have perused the article in last night’s issue on the medical use of snake venom and the method of extracting the venom from snakes will be very much pleased if they can get hold of a new book entitled ‘ Thrills of a Naturalist’s Quest,’ obtainable at the Athenaeum, for it conveys a lot of interesting information on the subject. The author states incidentally that the most poisonous snake known to the collectors of reptiles is the tiger snake of Australia.

The major operations now engaging the attention of the Public Works Department in this district—the formation of the Eglinton Valley road to Milford, the Manuherikia dam, and the completion of the road from Kingston to Queenstown— were resumed immediately after tho holiday spell, and are being vigorously prosecuted. On the Lake Waicatipu undertaking a capacious motor launch is proving of great service in transporting material and stores from the railhead at Kingston to the points whore they are wanted on the lake side, the conveyance by water being much quicker and cheaper than carting by lorry, Mr T. M. Ball, tho district engineer, is at present in the Wakatipu district, and likely to return to town early next week.

A reminder of tho visit of H.R.H. the Duke of Gloucester to the Otago Officers’ Club lias been received by the committee of that body in the form qf an autographed photograph of His Highness in hussar uniform. The gift was sent through Captain Derek Scbreiher, equerry, and is accompanied by a letter extending the felicitations of the Duke to tho executive and members of the club.

Tho existence of A Rang of eight young desperadoes who have been committing an extensive series of crime in the Hamilton district over the last three months has been revealed, and numerous charges will shortly bo preferred against them. Many of the thefts were unlawful conversion of motor cycles and shop breaking. The episodes at Hamilton and Frankton, wJiich have been alarming householders for some time, have been sheeted home to those eight, whose ages range from fifteen to seventeen. Some of the youths may come before the Magistrate’s Court, but on account of their ages most of thorn will he tried before the Children's Court. —Press Association.

In the Police Court this morning Charles Wolfe was fined 10s, or 24 hours, for drunkenness and £l, or three days, for using obscene language in Maclaggan street. Gordon Cecil MTntyre, a statutory first offender for drunkenness, was fined £l, or 48 hours. Blackberries are now seen in the Dunedin markets. They come from Alexandra and other places, and are the true English kinds, therefore quite distinguishable from the fruit of the wild growth that has become a nuisance as a noxious weed. This morning the blackberries were selling at 8s a case at the auctions, or a little above the price of raspberries.

A correspondent from Roxburgh writes as follows:—“ The first party to visit Lake Onslow this season were out at the week-end. and report fish in* good order. The heaviest turned the scale at 41b—Loch Leven. Owing to the lake being exceptionally low only a dozen were caught for two rods. One rainbow was caught below the dam wall, Jib in weight. These rainbow trout were liberated two years ago. Tho road seventeen miles from Miller’s Flat is in very good order, and the lake is fairly full. I would advise fishermen to give Lake Onslow a tryout this season. Tho best bag in the lagoons for the week-end was one of seven fish from Jib to 2jlb.”

Appreciation was voiced by the chairman (Mr J. Wallace) at the meeting of tho Education Board this morning at the success of the children’s demonstration during the visit of the Duke of Gloucester and tribute was paid to the many who had worked hard to contribute towards that success, Tho following motion was carried; —“The board expresses its appreciation of the action of all those teachers who, during their holidays, assisted with the assembly of school children at the Dunedin, Oamaru, and Goro centres on the occasion of the visit of H.R.H. the Duke of Gloucester. It desires particularly to express its appreciation to those immediately responsible for the unqualified success of tho demonstration at the Drill Hall, Dunedin. It is under a debt of gratitude to Miss E. Farquharson, who organised the catering arrangements and the ladies who assisted her on the morning of the demonstration, also all others, including teachers, ex-teachers, school committeemen, members of the Legion of Frontiersmen, and its own office staff, who, at short notice, carried out the altered arrangements so successfully.” Parker Brothers’ saw-mill at Blackwater, near Kumara, was totally destroyed bv fire at 4 o’clock this morning. The timber on the skids and tire adjoining cottages were not affected. Tho mi’ll building and contents were insured for £4OO in the Insurance Office of Australia Ltd.—Greymouth Press Association.

A good record of school attendance was reported to the Education Board this morning, the head teacher at Blacks, Central Otago, advising that Eileen T. Stafford, a Sixth Standard pupil, had completed seven years at the school without being absent one day.

Don’t delav with eye troubles; tney lead to other troubles. See the optician without delav. To give satisfaction is the ideal c{ W. V. Stunner; optician, 2 Octagon, Dunedin.—f Advt. i

The Railway Department advertises in this issue particulars of special motor trips to the Milford Sound road, Eglinton Valley, and Lakes Te Anau and Manapoun. These trips are being arranged on similar lines to those recently conducted by tho City Corporation.

Tho Railway Department advertises in (his issue particulars of another popular excursion, Dunedin to Invercargill, on Sunday, January 27,