AMERICAN NEWS

Hokitika Guardian, 12 September 1927, Page 2

AMERICAN NEWS

(Australian A N.Z. Cable Association.) AN OIL TRADE. NEAY YORK. Sept. 9. At Los Angeles, following a Supreme Court decision, that Elk Hill s and Pearl Harbour oil leases wore obtained through fraud. Doheny interests paicl the Government 13,900.507 dollars for the extraction of oil virtually ending the litigation.

CANADIAN EXHIBITION. OTTAWA, Sept, 9. Commenting on the exhibition. Dawrick, the Australian representative said lie believed a high class wool display would have been a. great draw, as would liave been tile best hardwood timbers and furniture. It is estimated that well over a million people will have passed through the Australian Court by to-morrow. Toronto Exhibition is fast becoming one of the marketing centres of the world and a first class combined Ae-tralian exhibit would produce good results.

MINING CONFERENCE. OTTAWA, Sept, 11. At Montreal, .Messrs King. Andrews, Herman and other Australian delegates addressed the Alining Afctallurgical resources and methods of recovering and treating products, power generation. briquette making experiments with pulverised coal and carbonising. During the discussion a resolution was proposed to institute a review ol the mineral resources and industries m each unit of the Empire. Speakers emphasised the necessity ior preparedness in case of another disastrous war, and the ability to provide all metallurgical necessities from within the Empire.

THE DRY LA AY. WASHINGTON, Sept. 9. The Assistant Secretary to the U.S.A. Treasury, Air Lowsmau. in charge of the Federal Enforcement of Prohibition, has issued a statement that there are many incompetent, crooked men tn the prohibition service. Ho says:— “ Bribery is rampant, and there are many wolves in sheep’s clothing. AYe are after them. Some days my arm gets tirecl signing orders of dismissal. I want to sav, however, that there are a lot of splendid, fearless men in service. Fortunately, they greatly outnumber tlie crooks. It would he ridiculous to claim thus far that Prohibition is a complete success. The great mass of Americans do not drink liquor. There are two fringes of society who are hunting for booze. They are the so-called “upper crust” and the “down and outs ” in the slums. They are dying off fast from poison hooch. If the American can ho made sober and temperate, in fifty years, a good job will have been clone.

FOREIGN TARIFF BAR. AVASHIXGTOX, Sept. 9. A reaction to a disclosure that the new French tariff, which became effective last Tuesday, includes schedules, which are considered extremely harsh, and in many instances prohibitive, in respect of the importation to France of American manufactured goods, was swift and emphatic here.

Senator Borah declared:—“lt is evident that-Europe. gradually hut surely, is forming an economic combination which might result disastrously for the United States.” Senator Harrison said:—“France should not be permitted to obtain a private loan from this country’s bankers, until she has funded her war debt.”

It is understood there is a movement afoot in the Senate against granting favoured debt treatment to European countries which arc considered to have the intention to “ freeze out ” Americans from trade competition in Europe.

U.S.A. OFFICIALS CONVICTED. NEW YORK, Sept. 9. In Indianapolis, Governor Jackson of Indiana and two other official's were indicted by a Grand Jury for attempted bribery and conspiracy to commit a lelony; and and Mayor Duvall of Indianapolis was indicted for violating the Corrupt Practices Act. The indictments grew out of a long series of Court actions, which involved Jackson’s predecessor, ex-Governor 'McCray, who has just completed serving a term in prison, following conviction for embezzlement while in office. The revelations are said to have been made by high officials of the Ku Klux Klan, lijow also serving a 'term in prison, as the result of a murder charge, which led the Grand Jury to start the investigation which has ended in the indictments.

BRITISH COMPLAINT TO U.S.A NEW YORK, Sept. 9.

A complaint has been lii'ed and a warrant issued for the arrest of Captain Michael Crowley, now somewhere in the high seas, on a charge of inhuman, barbarous treatment of Fred Thomas, iorinerly an officer in the Royal Welsh Fusiliers when Thomas was a steward aboard the American tanker, “ Manatawny.” It alleged Thomas, on the first night out, fell against an exposed steam pipe, and burned his hands to the bone, and that lie cried aloud in agony all night, but received no treatment, and next morning, it is stated, was ordered out by Captain Crowley, handcuffed, tied to a rail on deck, and had cold sai't water played on him from a hose until he fainted. It is affirmed that Thomas was not permitted to leave the ship at FTayti. although a doctor ordered him to hospital, and it is understood a complaint was made by Ambassador Howard to Mr Kellogg, stating that Sir Austen Chamberlain was interested and was convinced of the truth of the charges. Thomas’s arm is useless, and lie has a wife and child in dire straits. Thp U.S.A. Criminal Statutes provide

for payment of damages as well as a maximum sentence of five years’ Imprisonment, and one thousand dollars line for a person guilty of such offence.