New Zealand

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 208, 10 February 1915, Page 5

New Zealand

THE TROOPS IN SAMOA. ALLEGED TRAD]NO WITH THE ENEMY. THE DUERKOP CASE. By Telegraph.—l'er Press Association. Wellington, Last Night. * The hearing of charges against Wilhelin Heinrieh Magnus Duerkop of trading with an alien enemy concluded today. Tn his evidence, the accused detailed how he had paid a visit to Germany prior to the war and made arrangements to ship goods to Gustav J. J. Witt, of Hamburg. The greater portion of the shipments were, for consignees other than Witt, including Max •N. Koester and Paul Otto Roegbig. Cpon the outbreak of the war it became 1 an important matter to him "as to how the cargoes afloat were to he disposed of, and lie consulted Mr. Algie, of Auckland, on the subject. Duerkop said he considered it desirable to trade with neutral countries rather than those engaged in hostilities, as the firms in neutral countries were on a sounder financial basis. The London market was unsuitable before and after the war for his firm's trade in casings. The centres of the casing trade had always been in Hamburg and New York. Ho had tried to find a suitable market in the States, but failed to Ho so, owing to the financial condition caused -by the war. Subsequently he wrote to Gustav J. 3. Witt, of Rotterdam, and asked him if he were prepared to accept consignments on commission. By reason of liis personal acquaintance with Witt, who was one of the directors, he thought he had a good opportunity of establishing a working contract. His negotiations with the Rotterdam company were conducted as with a distinctly separate firm. Tlipre was no tacit understanding that goods shipped to Rotterdam must go to Hamburg and reach one of the directors who carried on business there. On August 22,, witness continued, Witt, of Hamburg, wrote saying that all commercial relations had stopped and nothing could he hoped for until the end of the war. Witness considered it safer to send his goods in vessels flying neutral Hags, as cheaper insurances could he arranged. Moreover, the Dutch company had vessels going through the Suez Canal, and its ships were consequently faster. At ordinary times Holland imported much' of her casings from Germany, and he calculated that' owing to the outbreak of the war the latter country would not be able to supply requirements.

The Chief Justice, summing up. saiii the case was not one of a man deliberately starting out to trade with the enemy. Duprkop had started trading with ft man who became his enemy, and the. point was whether the connection was severed or not. It had been agreed by counsel, in relation to the question of law involved, apart from the first issue, that the jury might find that Duerkon did trade witli Giistav J. J. •Witt anil Co., of Rotterdam, an association registered in Rotterdam with German directors and German capital, but quite distinct from any German company. After a short retirement, the jury returned for a re-direction from the Judge. Wis Honor said the whole question was whether Dnerkop continued trading with Witt.

Mr. Neavay for the defence: Is it not competent for the jury to find a simple verdict that Duerkop was trading with a Rotterdam firmf

His Honor: What I direct is trial If the jury believe that Duerkop continued to negotiate with Witt after the war about, his goods, then lie was trading with the enemy. The foreman of the jury: Will a niajoriy do for the finding? •His Honor: The verdict must be unanimous. That is English law. The jury returned the following verdict: "We find that the prisoner aid trade with a company, called the Gustav J. J. Witt and Co.'s Handlesmaatsehappy, which was registered in Rotterdam, in Holland; that this company had as its sole directors Germans, and tliat all its shareholders were Germans; that its managing director was Gustav J. J. Witt, a German, who resided in Germany; that if in law this was trading with the enemy, then the prisoner is guilty under the second and third counts of the fifth indictment. The jury are agreed that the accused is guilty on indictments (1) to (4), inasmuch as lie did not break off negotiations with Gusstav J. J. Witt."

Mr. Neave gave notice of appeal on the law point which he. raised at tlie beginning of the case, that the prisoner was indicted under an Act winch had been repealed. . The prisoner Was released on bail, to appear at 10 a.m. next Tuesday. A GERMAN'S DILEMMA. Auckland, Last Night. A young German named Robert Emil Winkler, aged 25 years, presented himself at the Auckland police station this morning, and asked to be arrested. He stated that before war broke out he was employed by a hairdresser in the city, and on account of his nationality had'been thrown out of work, and had found that his German birth debarred him from getting work. He had now come to the end of liis resources. Winkler was formally taken into custody on a charge of vagrancy, and came before .Mr. Frazer, S.M., who remanded him for a week to enable the police to communicate with the military authorities, remarking that if the circumstances were, as stated it would probably be a kindness to the prisoner to intern him as a hostile alien. Wellington, Vesterday. The following message has been received by the Defence Department from Co'onel Logan, Samoa:— "The health of the troops is good. Tile fodcwsitr are in hospital:-Field Enginee* s: Captain D. I. Gibbn, dys.-n----tery; Signaller Lance-Corporal i'ruudc, jiiiiidice. Railway Engineers: Corporal C. R. Rilsop, appendicitis; Sapper B. J. Furev, varicose veins. Auckland Regiment": Major W. Kay, appendicitis; Private V. K. Bell, dysentery; Private C. Crawford, dysentery; Private R. J. Massicks, dengue; Privste K. W. Pcarre, dengue; Private E. Mills, septic knee;! Private E. Peek, enteric fever. Wellington Regiment: Corporal F. A. Cimiuo. foer; Private A. S. Crother, hernia; Lance-Corporal S. G. Mtfrrcll, fever; Private W. Dixon, piraeinonia; Private D. S. Hamilton, dengue; Private L. H. Smith, dengue; Private B. L. Hoarse, eye trouble; Private E. R. AV. Hillop, hernia ; Private IT. Jcnkiiison, septic throat; Private H. Stubbs, rheumatism. Mach-ine-gun Section: Sergt. G. A. Trcvclyan, dengue; Private B. Thompson, dengue. Army Service Corps: Private W. Broeklebaiik. jaundice. Medical Corps: Private A. G, Hewitt, dengue. All are doing well." THE PIi'SPAEATItCJ Rest fitted to relieve and aDsclutely cure indigestion is. Dr. Sheldon's Digestion tabules. Tlicy contain every known digestant and digest every kind of food. Good results are always certain. Is (id and 2a Gd. Obtainable everywhere.

TYPHOID IN MAORI CAMP. Auckland, Last Niglit. Typhoid fever lias broken out among tlie Maori soldiers in camp at Avondale. Five men are in hospital with the disease, and one, an Orakei native, who had not been inoculated, has'died. Almost all the men have now been inoculated, and those not yet treated are being attended to immediately. The authorities in consequence do not regard the outbreak with, alarm. A COMPLAINT FROM EGYPT. Auckland, Yesterday. Commenting o n the Christeluirch telegram that a pack of cards sold at one of the canteens in Egypt had inscribed on a card inside: "Presented by the Auckland Patriotic Committee for the men of the expeditionary force," Mr Massey said it would be very wrong indeed if articles meant for free distribution were sold through the canteens. The Government had received no information dealing with these complaints, and personally lie could not believe anything of the kind had been allowed to occur. A "WASTER" DEALT WITH. Auckland, Yesterday. A man wearing a sergeant's uniform and claiming to be an Imperial reservist, who had it is alleged endeavoured to profit from the patriotism of others, encountered an officer of the Defence Department at the office, of the Patriotic League, where the latter cut off the stripes off the psiie<;o-sergeant's uniform, removed his belt, and informed him that unless he returned the uniform immediately lie would be locked up. It is understood that the man will not be prosecuted in view of the fact that he has a wife and children dependent on him, MARINE INSURANCE. Wellington, ,Yostcrdav. The council of the New Zealand Marine Underwriters' Association is advised that rates from the Dominion t.o United Kingdom ports are now forty shillings. Cargo transshipped from tiic United Kingdom to America from New Zealand is charged one per cent, additional, with a refund of half per cent, for neutral steamers across the Atlantic.