MURDER CHARGE

New Zealand Herald, Volume 80, Issue 24760, 7 December 1943, Page 4

MURDER CHARGE

DEATH OF 'NEGRO SEAMAN BEFORE COURT (P.A.) WELLINGTON, Monday A United States merchant seaman, Reginald Delone Surles, aged 25, charged with murdering Robert Lane, a negro seaman, appeared before Mr. J. L. Stout, S.M., to-day. Evidence was given by John Madanci, a seaman, that on Thursday he was ashore with Surles, Lane and another man, drinking. There was a fight in a street between Surles and Lane, in the course of which Lane threw Surles down and stamped on his face, injuring him above an eye. He and Lane took Surles to the hospital, and, after attention, he was returned to the ship late that night. Surles, who had been drunk, came in and took a knife from beneath another man's pillow and stabbed Lane four or five times. Lane was asleep at the time. Surles then walked out with the knife. Calvin Ray Jones, second pantryman on the ship, said he was with Surles and the others on Thursday. When he left them Madanci was sober and the other two were drunk. Steward's Evidence A steward's mate, Harry John Sykes, said he occupied the opposite bunk to Jones in the stewards' quarters on the ship and accused had the bunk under the one witness occupied. Witness saw accused on Thursday night take a bayonet and knife out of his locker and go out of the cabin with them. Accused was then bleary-eyed and staring, but did not appear drunk. Witness fell asleep. About midnight, when he awakened, he saw Lane sitting up in his bunk and accused knock him over. Blood was coming out of Lane's body. He could not see whether accused had a knife in his hand at the time. On returning to the ship on Thursday night last, said Vern Rees Rosqnist, <a wiper on the ship, he found accused in his bunk. Accused had a Japanese bayonet and slieatbknife and a pistol with him and was asleep. Witness took the Japanese bayonet and pistol away and was removing the slieatbknife when accused woke up and asked him what he was doing. Witness told him he would give him his weapons back in the morning. Accused was in an excited state and threatened witness' life because he would not return the weapons. Alleged Threat The next time witness saw accused was in the mate's office. Accused said he had "stabbed a guy" and he hoped that he would die. Witness later went to the stewards' quarters, where he found Lane dead. Joseph A. Hund, first-class seaman, United States Navy, _said he was on watch on the gangway of the ship on Thursday night. Accused was standing by the gangway and told_ witness that Lane had hit him and kicked him up in town and that he was going to "get" him. Accused had two knives and a gnn upon him at that time. The case was adjourned until December 15. WORLD FOOD SHORTAGE PROBLEMS TO BE FACED DISCUSSION IN COMMONS LONDON, Dec. 5 A discussion on the food situation, both domestic and world-wide, was opened in the House of Commons by Mr. R. J. Boothby, a former Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food. He moved an amendment to the Address in Reply regretting that the Government had given no indication of any specific measures to be taken by Britain to deal with world food shortages now becoming widespread, and particularly of any steps to utilise fully the productive capacity of British fishing fleets and to maintain the quality of British flocks and herds. Mr. Boothby said that two urgent problems, were —firstly, immediate postwar relief for starving peoples, particularly those of Europe; secondly, the production of enough protective foods in all parts of the world to maintain a decent standard of nutrition for all. When the war was over the solution of other problems demanded a very great increase in food production, both of the world and particularly the United Nations. He asserted that soil fertility and the quality of British flocks were deteriorating rapidly and thought crop production had been pushed too hard and too long. He complained of the manner in which the Ministry of Food dealt with the herring catch this summer, which was about the best for 20 years. Another speaker said that at the close of the war the biggest fishing fleet possible should be put to work to supply the world demand for food. Replying for the Government Mr. W. Mabane, the present Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food, said the Ministry was concerned to provide food for the British Isles and the search for food was international. The original food fact number one was the shortage of shipping. Now it was the shortage of food. The Government had gone out of its way to warn the world and had done more—it had initiated action. Resolution at the Hot Springs conference urged that production throughout the world should be increased. It was vitally important that the food supplies of the world should be allocated to nations in accordance with determined needs, and one of the principal tasks of the Ministry of Food was to secure in various exporting countries that production should be stepped up to the greatest possible extent. Mr. Mabane defended the Government policy regarding livestock and herrings, and said "The post-war position of herrings is going to be important in feeding Europe " He concluded by saying that if there was going to be a world shortage of food Britain would not get food given to it. but would have to produce what food it wanted and improve methods to do so. AGRICULTURAL LAND STATE OWNERSHIP URGED LONDON, Dec. 5 In a published statement of Labour policy, the national executive of the Labour Party advocates the passing of legislation giving the State power to acquire all agricultural land, and laying down a basis of compensation to owners. "We desire to emphasise that the necessity for national ownership of agricultural land is too urgent to leave to very gradual piecemeal procedure over a long period of years. Acquisition should be carried out as rapidly and on as large a scale as is practicably possible," the statement says. "Pending total acquisition of agricultural land, we recommend that the following indispensable conditions should lie insisted upon in connection with ownership and use of all agricultural land: —(1) The character of the equipment for the land should be prescribed by a competent body responsible to the Minister of Agriculture. (2) A national land commission should be authorised to issue development bonds at a low rate of interest and to make loans for tho purpose of assisting with equipment in approved cases. (3) If the existing owner is unable or unwilling to provide indispensable capital and equipment, then the national commission should purchase the land. "Rent Appeal Courts of suitable character should be appointed to determine fair rents."