AMERICAN ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 17 March 1924, Page 2

AMERICAN ITEMS.

[by TELEGR.U'II —I’EIl TRUSS ASSOCIATION.]

AN AH RESTED LINER

NEW YORK, -March 13. The Federal District Attorney has tiled a libel action against the Orduna, arretted yesterday, demanding a bond of ol three million dollais for the release of the vessel, which is scheduled to sail for Hamburg on Saturday. Mr Hayward states the Orduua's seizure was based on violations of the customs and narcotics prohibition laws. He added he was convinced that every liner is allowing narcotics and liquor to l>e sold freely from the slops. Either there exists the lowest possible state of mercantile discipline, or the .ships uiucers and perhaps the shipping lines themselves, are in collusion and are sharing the profits ol the illicit traffic. WASINGTON, March 13. The British Embassy has informally pictesled to the State Department against the .size of the bond demanded for the Orduna. The protest lias been referred to the Departments of Justice and the Treasury. NEW YORK, March 13. The Government confiscation of the liner Orduna is demanded in the libel suit in the Federal Court. The (-bulges are that, since 1920, the Orduna has smuggled into the United States liquors and narcotics exceeding one bundled thousand dollars in value. WASHINGTON. March 13. The Senate has ratified the treaty between Britain and the l niied States authorising a search and seizure of suspected liquor craft beyond the three mile limit.

JAPANESE SLUMP. NEW YORK, March 15. The “New York Times” Tokio correspondent says that anxiety is felt over the continued decline of the yen, w hich lias reached 41 .5 cents, which is the lowest level for thirty years. It was expected that the big Japanese loan (cabled February (i) would bolster the yen, but the decline remained substantially unchecked. The main cause of the decline is seen in a tremendous adverse trade balance, which for February totalled 186,000,000 yen. 'lbis adversity will probably eat into the Japanese gold reserve abroad, which now totals 300,000,000 yen. whence it appears possible that Japan will, within a few months, he seeking another foreign loan. Nevertheless, a high official in the Ministry of Finance told the oorresponlent that the Government will take no artificial means to bolster the veil. lie said: “Wo will ra i her • attempt to cheek the imports of unnecessary articles and luxuries, and to resume our former tariff, thereby stimulating the export of manufactured goods, which will now he cheaper to the foreign consumer. Bv such measures, we expert the yen to right itself.”

U.S.A. SMUGGLING. LINER- ORDUNA’S CASE. NEW YORK, March 15. The crow of the liner Orduna gave testimony in the libel action arising out of the liner's recent arrest for ruinriiniiing, in which a bond of three million dollars is sougnt by the authorities for the liner’s release. The crews testimony has revealed unbelievahiiy wi(Upread smuggling practices. While admitting that they brought liquor and morphine aboard, and smuggled them into the United States ports, they further declared that the crews of all tie foreign vessels, and notably those operated by the lesser lines, had been

doing likewise. The Ordunaks storekeeper told, in detail, how, during the past three years, lie and others of tile crow have been smuggling drug and liquor aboard. He told how the drugs were sold lo expect a lit illicit dealers, and how the liar was kept open and liquors were sold while the ship was in port.

The Court will probably release the Orduua’s owners from liability. because the. crew declared that in bringing the liquors and drugs aboard, they acted secretly and independently. The Court is, therefore, expected to strike out all hut the Customs violation charge, and if smuggling is proved, to levy a line upon the royal mail and shipmasters, hut the chances ol confiscating the vessel are regarded as remote.

THE FRANC AND £l. NEW YORK, March 15. The franc, htioved bv Hie French loan has now reached four and one-sixteenth cents, representing a gain of nearly half a cent above Wednesday. Sterling, however, has declined two cents and has reached down to -123 cents. MEDICAL FRAUDS. NEW YORK, March 15. At Hartford, a grand jury which has been investigating medical frauds for live, months, returned a presentment charging the members of the State Board of Medical Examiners with fraud and dishonesty, adding that certain members thereof bad connived with the officials at Extraslate College to give letters to graduates for special consideration. The presentment specially condemns two Boston Colleges, one the Kansas City, and one St. Louis College, stigmatising the latter as a diploma mill which apparenty ha, moved heaven and earth to procure favours from the Connecticut examiners. I he jury intimate;; that if the latter had done their .Inti, those students would never have received certificates. They received them only bv fraud, deceit and disobedience. The jury rmiriude?;: “We have not concluded our in\cstigation. We most enquire into the so-eniled healing aits because Connecticut offers a field of cx-l-ldtalion to persons f inoticing cults and questionable theories mu permitted elsewhere in the United States.”