AMERICAN ITEMS

Hokitika Guardian, 22 June 1925, Page 2

AMERICAN ITEMS

| A list r; • I i:< ,v N.Z. I able Association.] i I Al’OT DO.MK SCANDAL. DHLs lON VALIDATES LEASE. NEW YOHK. June Jfi. A message from Cheyenne, in the State, of .Wyoming, strifes that the lease of Hie Maminolli (lil Company on the Tenpin Dome naval oil reserve has Iv'i. iiehl l , be legal by Federal .liid .s Kennedy, in giving his decision in i!a Government’s soil against the

h-a-.'. The decision was based on the ground that tho lease was obtained by .Mr Sinclair (oil magnate) from Air Fall (ex-Senator). who was the the Federal Secretary of State for th<‘ interior, through fraud and conspiracy. as cabled in March ol last pear.

In a lo ngthy decision, comprising two thousand words, Judge Kennedy has ruled Dial the Government has fail to prove that the evidence is sufficient to nullify the lease. This decision ends the long political controversy on the litigation arising from cx-Senator Fall's action in leasing the oil lands to Sinclairs Alammotli Oil Company, and it is now rendered. three months after (lie at tornoys had argued the legal and highly technical aspects of the lease before Judge. Kennedy.

It is generally conceded thai Mi 'Robert's and Mr Pomerene, the .Federal Government's counsel, were at a disadvantage during the trial ol the ease, through the relusal ol cx-lscna-tor Fall and others to testify. They refused on th* grounds that they might, incriminate themselves. Counsel also were handicapped through tlm absence of oilier witnesses. U.S.A. FLIGHT TO HAWAII. WASHINGTON. June 20. The Navy Department announced that a naval airplane flight Iron), the Pacific Coast to Hawaii will probably start on September 2nd. It has not been decided whether the start shall he made from San Diego or San I* ranciseo. WASHINGTON. June 20. In the flight to Honolulu. Captain Stanford Moses, Commander ol the Aircraft Squadrons ol the Battle Meet, will have command. 1 lie route ol the flight will he patrolled hy ten vessels. The battleship Arizona, the airerait carrier "Longley.” and (lie airerait tender " Areostnck” will he stationed (it)ll miles apart between the mainland and the islands, for the purpose of gathering weather observations. Six destroyers will he scattered at two hundred mile intervals in the gaps between the station ships, while two mine sweepers will patrol the route.

The delay ill selecting a starting point is dm* to there being considerable rivalry Ijotween Sail Diego and San Francisco for the honour. THE HONOLULU CONFERENC E. HONOLULU, June 21. Among the Australian and New Zealand passengers who arrived by the Niagara here to-day were sixteen delegates to the Institute of Pacific Relations, whose (onterenec i- opening on July 1. Mr Duncan Hall. Chairman of the Australian delegation, said: "We, of Australia, are very much hopeful of u full and constructive discussion of the preparations for peace, namely, the massing of forces for this purpose, and the outlining of ideals and methods for attaining it. and for the best possible enjoyment of peace when obtained. The members of the Central Executive Committee of the Institute met the delegates.