Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1917-03-06
'NODECISIONYET
REACHED TOMOVE
GERMAN VESSELS
Continued from page one)


the two members of the harbor board,
the attorney-general's department. and
Capt. William R. Foster. harbormas-
ter of this port, began at 1920. about
five minutes after the departure from
Chairman Forbes office of ]. F. G.
Hagens, yice-president and auditor of
H. Hackfeld & Company. Ltd. the
local agency for all the refugee Ger
man vessels in Honolulu.
Hagens conferred with Forbes for
nearly half an hour. While the con-
ference was in progress Commissioner
Church arrived, having been summon
ed to the office on the telephone call
from Forbes. The three talked over
the situation carefully. Hagens de-
ciined to make statement for publ
cation as he left the office.
No Written Opinion
At this point a Star-Bulletin repre-
sentative attempted to obtain a state.
ment from Chairman Forbes. He had
no sooner asked him a question than
the attorney-general and his deputy,
followed by Harbormaster Foster, en-
tered the office. -.
Then is it settled that the board
will move the, Pommern and Setos
outsider asked the reporter. -.
81 .'Ye-es," answered Forbes. we
went on record yesterday to move
them" "
NO." sharply interjected Deputy
Acknowledgement Smith, you referred
the matter to the attorney-general's
department for consideration and we
have not yet rendered a written opin-
ion on it,
At this point Attorney General
Stainback said in reply to a question
from the reporter. that he had told
the board 1t could move the ships il it
wanted to- at the boards executive
session Monday, at which the board
came out Of executive. session long
enough to pass resolution to move
the Pommern and .Setos outside.
Decide. On Another Session .:........
Forbes then requested the newspa-
perman to. leave the office for few
minutes. On conclusion of the con-
ference he told him that an executive
session would be held at 80 this aft
ernoon and that following it there
would probably be an announcement
for the press. Forbes first set 2
o'clock as the hour but on a re-
quest from Commissioner Church
made it half an hour earlier. H..
A report which came to the Star
Bulletin this morning was that Col
lector of the Port Malcolm A. Frank
lin would refuse to allow the German
refugee merchantmen to be moved
outside. The harbor board can do
as 1t pleases so far. as ! am concern
ed. said the collector.
Berths Badly Needed Now
Commissioner James Wakefield
said this morning the board at its
executive session Monday voted to. do
what We have wanted to do for the
last two and half years"
The refugee German steamers
have been a menace and drawback
to the. commerce of this port" he
said. There would have been no
danger to them lying outside had they
not wilfully destroyed their machin-
cry. We have ordered the Pommern
and Setos to move because We, need
their room at Pier z and Pier t."
In the last few days the crews of
the merchantmen are said by customs
irlsp ectors on duty watching the yes
sells to have been painting out rust
spots and giving the engine rooms
and machinery of the vessels thor
ough cleanup. - -. ......<
No Notification Received .....
+. w. Klebahn, manager of Hack
field & Companys shipping depart
ment, said at noon today he had not
received any notification from the har.
bormaster to move the Pommern and
Setos outside within "a hours. It is
known today that no such notice will
be sent until after definite decision
In the matter is reached at the execu-
tive session this afternoon. Probably
. longer time than "a hours would be
required to make the vessels ready by |
taking on provisions, coal for cooking.
extra anchor lines and various equip |
ment for holding the big freighters |
safe at anchorage in case of kona |
storms. The harbormaster at |
o'clock Monday afternoon received In
structions to serve notice on the local
agency today to move the two freight |
srs outside within "a hours from the |
lime of serving such notice, but he is |
holding off pending this afternoons
meeting. g-,.t,-. H.. = IL
In commenting on the situation to- |
lay Deputy Attorney General Arthur
.. Smith said there are two questions |
% be- decided before definite action