Woman Fined £50 On Drug Charge

Press, Volume CV, Issue 30965, 22 January 1966, Page 3

Woman Fined £50 On Drug Charge

(Sew Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON, Jan. 21

Charged with importing a dangerous drug, marijuana, Philippa Mary Gordon, aged 23, a magician’s assistant, was fined £5O by Mr M. B. Scully, S.M., in the Magistrate’s Court today.

Gordon pleaded guilty. On December 24, 1965, members of the vice squad took possession of a magazine addressed to “Miss M. Greenson” at a Wellington address. Mr W. R. Birks said for the Crown.

It had been posted from Fort Bragg, North Carolina, on November 3.

An envelope containing three grammes of marijuana had been inserted between the leaves of the magazine. Gordon was interviewed by vice squad members and she admitted that the magazine and marijuana had been posted to her from the United States to her former address. She said she had been holidaying in the United States between September. 1964, and March, 1965. In North Carolina she met a United States serviceman stationed at Fort Bragg. She had been using marijuana for some time, and told the serviceman of her interest in the drug. In May, 1965, after her return to New Zealand, Gordon wrote to the serviceman. In that letter and at least one

other she asked him to send marijuana.

Gordon explained to the vice squad that the magazine had been addressed with alias “Miss M. Greenson” for security reasons, Mr Birks said.