THE ADVENTUROUS KERRY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 13744, 8 May 1908, Page 5

THE ADVENTUROUS KERRY.

INTERESTS IN GUANO ISLANDS A CHARGE OF . FRAUD. By Telegraph.— Association.—Copyright. (Received May .8, 12.3 a.m.) /London, May 7. Mr. Meakin, solicitor, is suing Mr. T. Caradoc Kerry for £10,000 for alleged false representations respecting certain guano islands in the South Atlantic, to acquire Mr. Kerry's interests in which a company with a capital ,of £100,000 was recently formed. ■ Mr. Meakin states that he gave Kerry £6000 in cash, and alleges that he expended £5000 in promoting the company on Kerry's representation that the guano deposits were valuable, whereas they were afterwards shown to be so valueless that the subscriptions were returned to shareholders.

The reference to Mr. Kerry recalls an adventurous career. , Considerable interest was excited by the case, heard at Christchurch, in. 1901, in which Kerry (the owner) i Captain Mumford (the master), and Eric Freke were prosecuted oil five charges of having caused''the Idas of the steam yacht Ariadne. It was stated" that an arrangement had been entered into for the casting away of the yacht, Captain Mumford having "made a verbal confession that Kerry had agreed to pay him- £400 if he. fell in with his wishes v this respect. The vessel, according to the evidence, was valued at £5000, and was insured for £10,000. The three accused were acquitted. The underwriters refused to pay the insurance money, and Kerry sued them for the amount. New evidence was- brought, ami they settled his claim in full, with. 4 per cent, interest added, the judge emphasising the complete exoneration of the plaintiff. ' With the money obtained from the underwriters Kerry afterwards purchased another yacht, the Pandora, and obtained for £75 the guano lease of Tristan d'Aeunha, which was acquired by the South Atlantic Trading Company. He approached the Missions to Seamen with an offer to convey to the natives clothing, food, and religious books. The proposal was accepted, and the yacht took with her a large selection of goods, including tins of Mellin's food, although there were no babies on the islands. The outcome of the voyage was that in 1905 Kerry was committed for trial on a charge' of having stolen",-in 1904, on board the yacht, a box containing devotional books, the property of the trustees of the Missions to Seamen. Evidence was given that while the yacht was at sea the crew was/told to help itself to the goods. Much of what was left was thrown overboard, and the remainder was sold at various ports "on the return voyage. At the trial it was held that there was no case against Kerry, who was acquitted. On March 9 the enterprise referred to in the cable was announced, it bsing stated that a company had been formed, with a view to' acquiring the licenses held by Kerry for the working of guano deposits, on the islands of Nightingale and Inaccessible, two of the Tristan d'Aeunha. group, and Goujrh, which is some distance to the south. Besides* working these, it was intended that the company should carry on general trading operations.