OPIUM SMOKING.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVI, Issue 78, 1 April 1905, Page 4

OPIUM SMOKING.

CHINAMEN FROM THE IRIS FINED.

Ah Fong and Ah Hee, two of the Chinese crew of the cable steanwr Iris, were charged in the Police Court tb-d&y with smoking opium on Thursday last, and also with being unlawfully in possession of opium. They were prosecuted by Chief Detective Marsack, and Mr J. C. Martin defended.

Detective McMahon stated that iv company with Chief Detective Marsack he visited the house of a Chinest named Wong Chee Foo in Wakefieldstreet. As the occupier could not be found they proceeded to look around the house. When they commenced to ascend tbe stairs there was an unmistakable smell of opium smoking, and when Mr Marsack opened a bedroom door they found Ah Fong lying on his side on a bed in the act of smoking opium. Ah Hee was lying on a bed in the act of cooking a small head of opium on the end of a needle, preparatory to smoking it. His pipe was heated, indicating that it had already been used, and between the two men were two small pans of opium from which some had been taken. A small box containing opiup- was found on Ah Fong. Under the bed was a quantity of opium seconds.

Chief Detective Marsack gave corroborative evidence, and added that there was no trace of opium on Ah Hee. Mr Martin, who defended the accused, said Ah Fong admitted having smoked, but he was positive that Ah Hee did not smoke. What the Chinese would say in evidence was that Ah Hee did some shopping in town, and went to the house thinking a friend lived there. He found nobody downstairs, and went Up to the room in which Fong was smoking. It was a question for the magistrate to decide whether the detectives, entering a room filled with opium smoke, were not deceived in what they thought they saw in regard to Ah Hee. Ah Fong had found the opium-smoking apparatus in a bag, and when he tried one pipe and found it leaky he put it down. He started another one, being in the act of cooking tbe opium on the needle when tbe detectives arrived. Ah Hee asserted that he was not cooking opium when they came in, and he had nothing whatever to do with tbe opium. Ah Fong and Ah Hee supported their solicitors statement ot oath, and Fong was asked by Chief Detective Marsack where he got the opium. He replied that he brought it from the ship. "How much is left now?" inquired the chief detective.

"All gone now," was the reply, and Mr Marsack, with a smile, said he thought so. Ab Hee swore that, instead of the needle, he had a cigarette in his hand. His Worship decided to convict both accused. He considered there was no possibility of the detectives being mistaken. Opium smoking, he added, was a regular although for any ordinary offence he would have dealt leniently with men of good character, he would have to impose a fine of ~* each with, costs in the present instanceHe ordered the pipes to be confiscated, and at the instance of the police the informations charging the accused with having opium in their possession were withdrawn.

Mr Martin informed the Court that the confiscations did' not 'concern, *•* defendants, as the articles belong ß * *° another Chinaman. .