CANTON ISLAND.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVII, Issue 216, 12 August 1937, Page 9

CANTON ISLAND.

“INCIDENT” DENIED. Per Press Association. HAMILTON, Aur. 12. An emphatic denial of what has been referred to as a “naval incident” in connection with the visit of the solar eclipse expeditions „ to Canton Island in June was given by the leader of the New Zealand party, Mr B. Miehie, when lecturing in Hamilton last evening. Mr Miehie said that a report had been published that the ship on which the American party had reached Canton Island had refused to give anchorage to H.M.S. Wellington, the New Zealand sloop which had conveyed the members of the Dominion expedition to the island. The report had been incorrectly written. The speaker emphatically denied its truth and maintained that no difference bad ever occurred between the two ships. Mr Miehie said that when the Wellington arrived at Canton Island it requested the American ship to make room for it to anchor. Tt was true that the ship did not move, but Mr Miehie gave an assurance that it was not in defiance. He said that owing to the difficult, tides an anchorage was not easy to obtain, and the American ship did not weigh anchor for fear of losing the suitable anchorage. Members of her crew bearded the Wellington and lent assistance to the sloop's navigators and extended every aid in anchoring the Dominion ship. A friendly spirit had prevailed between the two expeditions at all times, and to illustrate this Mr Miehie showed slides of the social functions arranged by the two pnrties and lectures. He also denied that the Americans had erected a plinth to proclaim American annexation. The plinth ."'as merely commemorative of the visit of the solar eclipse party and in memory of great scientists. The plinth erected by the New Zealanders, however, was proclaiming sovereignty over the island, although this had. been done on behalf of Great Britain by H.M.S. Leigh some months prior.