A WARNING BILL.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2042, 30 March 1907, Page 3

A WARNING BILL.

STOWAGE OF POISON IN SHIPS’ CARGOES. lii tiie Auckland Police Court, before Mr. C. C. Kettle, S.M., Edwin Thomas Smith, master of the steamship Opawa, was charged with having on board some fifty packages of poison (cyanide of potassium), and failing when reporting the arrival of the vessel to the Customs, as required by law, to inform the Collector at Avick'.and how many and what such packages were on board the steamship, and the place and position in which tliev were stowed. Mr. Mays appeared for tlie'prosecution, and Mr. Prendergast for the defence. Mr. Mays said that on tlie .arrival of tlie Opawa the landing waiter had his attention drawn to 50 packages of cyanide of potassium which were stowed in the vicinity of quantity of food-stuffs. He had heard that this

kind of tiling was going on to a considerable extent, and the fumes of such a poison as cyanide of potassium in tlie ? event of a case being broken,' might prove very serious in their action on food-stuffs. In this case, however, the poison was packed in zinc-lined cases and no breakage occurred. Mr. Prendergast explained that the captain did not take command of the Opawa until she arrived at London, and tho cyanide was shipped at Glasgow. The captain had no personal knowledge of the presence of the poison in the cargo, and the cases were not. distinctly marked, as they should have been. The breach of tlie law was, therefore, technical and quite unintentional, and the blame was really attachable to tlie consignors, His Worship said that in this case

the captain did not intend to commit a breach of the Act, but at the same time be ought to have ascertained what was on hoard, and also should have made himself conversant with the provisions of the laws under which he worked. Future cases would have to lie severely dealt with, but fin the present case, which was probably a “warning bell,” the defendant would lie fined £1 and costs. — Star.