ALLEGED CARGO BROACHING.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIII, Issue 57, 6 March 1912, Page 2

ALLEGED CARGO BROACHING.

EOTO muqww C^OaTXED.

Four seamen from the s.s. Waimana, which arrived in Auckland on 19th February , were brought into the Police Court. this morning to answer a charge of haying stolen four rolls of tweed. Their names were John Lynch, Frederick Adams, Richard MeKenrie, and Daniel John Carney, and their ages ranged from 21 to 29 years. They were arrested by Constable Crawford as they were leaving the wharf at a quarter to three on the morning of the 22nd February, because of the suspicious circumstance pi their leaving a snip at that hour carrying such a heavy "swag." Chief Detective Marsack conducted the prosecution, and produced evidence tc show that the rolls of tweed were part of a consignment to Messrs. House, Dak ing and Sindel Limited, of Parnell, ordered through Walter Gavey from Messrs. J. E. Pickles and Co., Bradford. The evi denes also showed that two cases on board the Waimana had been tampered with. The men, when first accosted by the police, had said that they were de serting from the Victoria and afterwards when taken into custody to account for the possession of the rolls of the tweed, they admitted that they were running away from the Waimana. Mr. W. E. Hackett appeared for the defence, and sought to elicit by cross-examination that the men had "declared that they were themselves suspicious of the swag (which they said they had purchased from a sailor off the Victoria) and were hesitating as to whether they should take it to the Police Station or to the Sailor's Rest.

The plea of not guilty was put forward on behalf of each of the accused and Mr Hackett intimated that defence would be reserved. The four men were committed for trial at the Supreme Court, t»a>i being fixed at two securities of £IOO each. w