RUM RUNNERS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21399, 25 January 1933, Page 9

RUM RUNNERS

QUESTION OF SEIZURE AMERICAN COURT'S RULING WASHINGTON. Jan. 23 The Supreme Court ruled to-day that British or Canadian rum-running vessels cannot legally be boarded, searched or seized by coast guardsmen when they are more than one hour's sailing distance from thd shore.

Unusual interest attached to the case, because of frequent friction over the search and seizure of Canadian and British vessels by coastguardsmen on the look-out lcr rum-runners.

The Court held that the treaty of 1924 with Britain, which authorised the boarding of British vessels suspected of liquor smuggling if found within an hour's sailing of United States" shores, had been superseded by the conflictive provision of the Tariff Act of 1930. Under this the United States had contended that coastguardsmen were authorised to board British vessels within four leagues of the coast (the 12-mile limit). The ruling was handed down in a ense brought by Mr. Frank Cook. It had evoked a protest from Canada over the seizure of the vessel Mazeltov, 11£ miles off the Massachusetts coast. The vessel had a speed of only eight to nine knots, ail hour.