1932-10-15 — Page 7

DIVING FATALITY

FURTHER EVIDENCE AT '

INQUEST

WHAT TWO SCHOOLBOYS

SAW

The inquiry into the death of William Ramsey-Stephens, a dive: who lost his life on September 20 while engaged in diving work in the Harbour, was continued before Mr. Schofield at Central Magistracy yesterday.

R.. Jones, a schoolboy, called as a witness, stated that on September 20 at about 3.4 p.nt. He NEW a diver standing on the steps of a ladder on a lighter near Quera's Pie. He was having his heimet put on. A Chinese adjusted the the helmet and then screwed on glass in front of the helmet. He then saw the diver put up his hand to the side of the helmet and ad- just something. The diver then stepped off the ladder and Boated to the side of the pier. He W bubbing come up. Four Chinese were working the pumps. They were working not too fast and not too slaw. The diver was only about two niinutes in the water, after which the man with the rug ap peared to be pulling him up.

Saw Big Bubble.

Witness noticed a big bubble coming out of the water and a few seconds later the diver re-appeared. His helmet was off and his head was on one side. Witness did not see the diver move ur show my! sign. His face was very white and after a while it began to turn ride. The witness went on to say that a little while later the ambulance people got on the lighter. In re ply to a question by Inspector Dorling, witness said that he saw the Chinese who put on the helmet adjust the safety cateh, but did not see the man examine the collar closely. When the diver went to the pier with all exept his helmet un- der water, witness did not notice any bubbles coming" from round the collar, but as his helmet disappear ed bubbles started to come up an eventually a big bubble rame up.

Witness said he saw no motion of the signalling rope. One Chin- ose was holding the rope and one was working the pump.

In answer to the jury, witness said that the Chinese was working the pump all the while and did not seem to be excited. When the diver came up this Chinese did not try to help him or give him ar- tifcial respiration.

Another sciolboy, Peter Wilson, gave evidence of a similar unture He told the Coroner that it was he who telephoned for the ambul ance from the Star Ferry Pier.

there were six members of the crew

HONG KONG DAILY PRESS. SATURDAY, OCTOBER 15, 1932:

HELIKON PIRATED FOR HONG KONG AND IMPERIAL

SECOND TIME

TWO LIVES LOST: FOUR PASSENGERS CARRIED OFF

OFFICERS THREATENED: EUROPEAN

LADIES' ORDEAL

With the arrival in port of the Wo Fat Shing Company's steamer Helikon yesterday morning, graphic,tos were told by“ officers and passengers of how, when 80 miles south of Gap Rock, dhe vessel was taken charge of by Chinese pirates.

The pirates who were masquerading as passengers, mande their appearance at 8.30 a.m. on the 12th when they took his ship by complete surprise, and held control until 2 o'clock on morning of the 14th.

the

The Holikes, which left Hong Kong on Tuesday last at 7.30 p.a. is about 11,000 tons register and was en route to Saigon with 300 Chinese passengers and two European lady passengers, Miss Erith C. Boynton and Mrs. Dirp Van Driest.

Tragedy marked the opening stages of the outrage when a well-to-du Chinese passenger, rather than allow himself to be taken captive and in all probability be held for ransom, jumped over- honrd. In the excitement a second Chinese became panic. stricken and dived overboard without warning. A heavy son was running at the time, and the pirates in charge of the steamer re- Frised to allow the ship to be put back to rescue the unfortunate

then.

་

In order to camouflage the ship as much as possible, the pirates, as soon as they seized her, painted the yellow, and blnek band of the funnel out, and made it entirely black. The tintne of the ship on the bows, was also painted out, but, owing to the roughness of the sea, they were unable to paint out the naise and port of registry on the steri.

FORMER METHODS AGAIN SUCCEED

PREFERENCE

TWENTY PER CENT. TAX ON FOREIGN CARS

DUTY ON EMPIRE BRANDY REDUCED BY HALF

The Ottawa Conference has made it necessary for all parts of the Empire to support the confusions there made as far as circumstances permit. The conditions of Hong Kong give few openings for reciprocating in the way of preference, but motor vehicles provide one such opening of which it is proposed to take advantage. A general im- port duty is possible but it is considered that such a duty might interfere with the entrepôt trade in motor vehicles and it has therefore been decided to recommend that the principle of preference should apply, only to motor vehicles registered for use in the Colony and to add 20 per cent, of the c... value to the licence fee of all foreign made motor vehicles on first registration."

These are the "Objects and Reasons" given in a Government Gazette Extraordinary, issued on Thursday which introduced an Ordinance to secure an increased trade between the Colony and other parts of the British Empire."

GOVERNMENT BOMBSHELL

TEXT OF ORDINANCE.

1.-This Ordinance may be cited

as the Empire Preference Drdin- ance, 1039.

2. In this Ordinance:-

1after deduction of the value of the tyres of any spare wheels or other

pare parts.

Licence Fee.

(2) Such special licence fee shall be in addition to the ordinary The British Empire" includes licence fee payable under any Or the United Kingdom of Great dinance or regulations relating to Britain and Ireland, the Dominion the licensing of vehicles,

A ship coming up astern in the were held prisoners," said Mr. of Canada, the Commonwealth of! night caused much alarm among Chalmers. the pirates. They held revolvers tot the heads of the officers and thren tened them with death if a war ship was in pursuit and they were boarded.

i

The seizure of the ship was made about 80 miles south of Gap Rock whilst the vessel was heading for Saigon. As suit as the pirates gained control, the ship was turned about and steamed in a zig zag direction away from the const.

Australia, the Dominion of New Zealand, the Union of South Africa, the Irish Free State, Newfoundland, India, all British Colonies and all, territories under His Majesty's pro- section. It shall also include, if An eye-witness of the outrage was

for the purposes of this Ordinance | the Governor in Council by Order the Chief Officer, Mr. I. Chalmers, who, when interviewed by

About 2 a.m. yesterday morning so directs, any territory in respect Pre representative, said: "I had the wireless equipment was repair of which a mandate of the League. come off watch at 4 am, and was ed and messages sent out. These of Nations in exorcised by the roused from sleep at 5:30 am. by were received by H.M.S. Wishart Government of any part of His

D

Daily

the noise of scuffling and yelling in and H.M.S. Bruce which immedi. Majesty's 'dominions.

t

the alleyway.. I came out and put ately steamed to the assistance of

"Empire product" in the case

my head into the engine-room and the vessel. During the whole time of motor vehicle means a vehicle

Compradore's Escape.

within the British Empire.

Motor Vehicle" includes motor car, motor lorry, motor omnibus, motor truck, motor bicycle and motor tricycle.

was promptly grabbed by four or the ship was in the hands of the which is substantially manufactured five pirates, all armed with revol pirates, the watches were kept as vers and mausere. The Captain, usual by the officers, but a close myself, chief and secondl engineers, watch was kept on all their more were all locked in one passanger meats by armed guards. cabin. Altogether there were about

Empire Labour Clause. twelve pirates on board, who had control of the ship until 2 o'clock

(9) No vehicle shall be deemed on the morning of the 14th, when they left the ship and sailed away already gone ashore when our reto bo substantially manufactured into the mouth of His Che Chin, presentative went on board, was within the British Empire unless, Bay where a 'junk came out and related by a member of his staff in the opinion of the Inspector met them.!!

Acording to that gentleman, the General of Police, at least oneį

The remarkable escape of the com- | pradore, Mr. Wai Cheung, who had

The Chief Officer want on to say e mpradore, as soon as he heard quarter, or auch other proportion as Fung Kam, foreman of the light that the Helikon was in no way tint pirates had taken control of the Governor in Council may fix by er, then gave evidence. He said fitted up for anti-piracy, and the, the ship, took all the money from Order, of its value in the result of on the lighter and witness' particuoutrage was carried out entirely by the safe, and hid himself. Unfortun-labour within the British Empire.

3(1) There shall be charged, lar job was to hold the rope. That suprise. The pirates' first objective ately, he was found by the pirates rope was used for hauling the diver was the wireless room. After tak who however, mistook him for an levied and paid, in respect of the up and also for signals:

The Signals.

An regards signals, witness anid in reply to the Magistrate that there wore six signals, which were as follows:-

I pull signifies

"pull in the

rope."

pulla signify "pay out the rope.'

3 pulls signify."diver reached

bottom in safety."

4 pulls signify "pull the diver

up."

5 pulls signify "more air is re

quired.

F

4. The Governor in Council shall have power to make such regula- tions as he thinks it for the carry- ing out of this Ordinance.

EMPIRE BRANDY.

DUTY OUT BY HALF.

The Table of Liquor Duties Re- solution of the 30th June, 1932 (published in the Gazette of the 30th June, 1039) is amended and on and after the coming into operation of this Resolution Part I. of the Table published in the said notification is rescinded and the following Part substituted :---

PART I.

European Type Liquor.

Per Gallon.

On all liqueurs, and on all champagnes and other sparkling wines

On

On

all brandy consigned from and grown or produced in the British Empire.......

·

810,00

3.00

all other brandy and on gin, whisky and other spirituous liquors ........ 0.00

On all port, sherry and

madeira

On all other still wines.......

ing the Chinese wireless operator ordinary passenger. In this man first registration in the Colony of by surprise they over powered him ner he escaped not only with the every motor vehicle hereafter reOn and wrecked the wireless equipment noncy, but probably his life. About gistered which, in the opinion of the They next went on to the bridgs $100 worth of valuables were taken Inspector General of Police, is not on

an Empire product, a special licence

where the second mate, Mr. Lee, from his room.

was on watch. They captured the The two lady passengers, seemed fee of an amount equal to twenty bridge without resistance and then none the worse for their harrowing per cont. of the value of such descended to the engine-room whers experiance, but the fact of being vehicle, including cost freight and they took the engine room staff by continually locked in their cabin insurance, on arrival in the Colony, surprise also Captain Le Fevre,under guard unnerved them a little.

the master of the vessel, was treat- "How I missed. my dinner and

Officers Navigate ship.

...

beer, porter, cider, perry

and stout......

all intoxicating liquors

above the strength of 18 degrees under proof, for overy degree above such strength in addition to the appropriate duty as above

4.00

3,00

0.00

0.07

they discovered that this was not

ed in the same manner. They were the movies," were the first remarks lying on the table and seemed, then all locked in one cabin, with made by Miss Edith C. Boynton, after all, a decent group of fel- the case, they robbed the passengers and looted the vessel of all port 6 pulls signify "less air is re-armed guards keeping them under one of the two lady passengers, lows."

Mrs. Dirk van Driest, the other able cargo, comprising silk and tea quired."

when interviewed by press repre- Witness, in reply to the Magis surveillance.

sentatives. She stated that she had lady passenger who was sharing worth $7,500. The pirates were trate, said that these signals were not posted anywhere but when the

been living in Paiping for 14 years the same cabin with Miss Boynton, most courteous in their behaviour, European diver came he gave him

No attempt was made by the and was on her way to New York stated that they had to sleep in and before leaving the ship return. the signals and saw the diver note them in a pocket book.

pirates, however, to navigate the Europe. I never expected their day clothes, and that they ed all the money they had taken Witness went on to say that on vessel, and although a close watch September 10 the diver came on was kept on all the officers, they that, on leaving, China aftor, such only got out of their cabin yoster- from the officers.* board the lighter with Mr. Nice) were allowed to work their four a long time, the ship on which I day morning. How I yearn for

should be travelling would he a bath," said Mrs. Driest, and checked the stores, etc. The hour watches as usua

A course was then steered for a pirated," said Miss Boynton. signals were given to the diver on

Previous Piracy. that occasion. Two days later point close to North Chilang Point, (Monday) the diver came and tested off Kingu Island. When His Che the apparatus again and went Chin Day was reached the engines down into the sen three times, were stopped, staying down for twenty minutes cach time. On the 15th he went down twice and stayed down each time for twenty minutes.

Junks Waits for Pirates.

The Officers.

The following form the Europ- pran officers on board the Helikon on the present trip:

Ladies' Hurrowing Experiences.

It was in the early hours of July

Captain G. Lefevre, Captain 1. Feeling apparently little the 21, 1930, that the Helikon was last worse from the ordeal, she smilingly pirated. On that occasion, she was Chalmers (Chief Officer), Mr. W. related, how, on that fateful morn commanded by Captain W. Ander Anderson (Chief Engineer), and ing, she was informed by the cap on. The piracy was carried out Mr. McCallum (Second Engineer). The captain and four or five pas- tain that the ship had been pirated. by a group of sixteen men, who hads Captain Chalmers who holds a was making Asked whether he noticed any sengers were put into a waiting No sooner had the captain said the come aboard 'as passengers and whe master's certificate, thing peculiar about the deceased, sampan, and with four guards, words, then the pirates rushed in, seited control of the vessel in zes his first trip on this steamer

Chist Officer.

The Helikon was formerry a witness said that each time he came waiting well inaliere und towards (money)." I put my wrist watch No shota ware fired, and there

preceded the pirates. A junk was and asked her for chien customary manner. up after a dive his face was this craft the pirates honded and other valuables on the table, were no casualties, although the Norwegian ship, having been built Banally flushed and he perspired heavily. Wities said he had not For-a-while we thought that the but after looking through them, the pirates when making off near Bias at Frederikstad in 1925. Of 2,028 noticed the same signs about other Captain was going to be held for pirates didn't take but after look Bay took ashore fourteen Chines grose tonë, she was purchased from divers whom he had scen.

ransom, but after a while we saw ing through them, the pirates didn't passengers and the compradore, Mears. Thoresen and Co. by her present owners in January, 1929, ME"Luj Po After demribing the deceased' the small boat push of and com. take anything at all remarked the pirates were under the im- and has since been engaged on the

They started lescent on September 20, when the mence the long journey back to the Misa Boynton. fatality occurred, the hearing was Helikon. In it was the Captain, playing the gramophone, which was pression that the ship carried a rice trade between Hong Kong and

alone: The four Chinese passengers (Continued on next. Columin.). large quantity of bullion, but when Saigon." adjourned.

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