CAUGHT WITH OPIUM

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 259, 2 August 1928, Page 13

CAUGHT WITH OPIUM

SHIP’S STEWARD FINED £2OO “BRINGING IT ASHORE AS AGENT” ‘.‘Here, take the lot,” is what Harry Thomas Downes, a steward, aged 38, is alleged to have said to Customs searcher Charles Galley when the • latter questioned him concerning several tins of opium found in possession of another man on the Queen’s Wharf about 6.40 p.m. on Tuesday. Downes, who belonged to the crew of the Marama, which had berthed a few hours before from Sydney, had just . left the vessel when the Customs official approached. him as the result of information received from Cecil Walling- ’ ford Brown, a taxi-driver, aged 49, who a few’seconds earlier, when searched ■by the Customs officer, was found with opium in his pockets. “You had better take the' package,” said Brown to Galley, handing over a tin of'the drug. “It was given me by Downes, the steward.” ■ Worth £240. Downes and Brown appeared before .Mr, E, Page, S.M., in the Magistrate’s Court yesterday. The forme; was charged with unlawfully importing a dangerous drug into New Zealand, while the latter was charged with being found with the drug in his possession. Downes pleaded guilty, but Brown denied the offence alleged against him. Both accused were represented by Mr. W. Perry. ' “For some time past we have suspected Downes of bringing in the drug, but we have never been able to catch him ” said Mr. E. T. W. Maclaurin, Collector of Customs, who prosecuted. “Everytime he arrives by the Marama Brown meets him with his taxi, and we think takes the goods away. On Tuesday evening the taxi was waiting outside the wharf, and. Brown was found with some tins in his pocket. When questioned, he stated that he had been given them by Downes, whom he always drove to his home when the ship ■reached port.” In reply to a question by Sir. Page, Mr. Maclaurin- said' that the . opium which was worth about £2O a tin, was ; valued at £240 all told. Acted as Agent. Tn asking-for leniency Mr. Perry stated that Downes, who had an excellent character, had been employed by the Union Company for the past fourteen or 'fifteen, years. He received the opium from a man in Sydney to deliver to an--other here, and was merely acting _ as an agent, who would receive commission. Accused 'was a married man with three children who resided at 99 Wallace Street. - „ ■ “In view of the facts,” said Mr. Perry, “T. ask that the minimum penalty only ■'■be .imposed. Unfortunately I understand it. is £125, and that the maximum is ?£5OO for. this offence. It is the first time my client informs me, that he has ever had anything to do with handling the drug. "As a result of this I am informed he will lose his. position with the Union Company.”" , „ . . , , , The Magistrate: Opium is looked upon by the Legislature as an insidious and dangerous drug and very heavy penalties are imposed for importing it. Accused will be fined the sum of £2OO, in default six months’ imprisonment. Mr. Perry: Can we have time to pay, Your Worship? ":"Mr< Page: How long do you want? Accused :- About two days. ; Mr. Page: I will allow one week in -which to find the money. An Innocent Party. Brown, who stated that he was an innocent party to the whole affair, said in the. course of his evidence that he always met Downes and drove him home. On Tuesday evening he went to the boat in response to a telephone call, but left his 'motor-car outside because parking on the wharf was-prohibited.'When he saw Downes in his cabin the latter handed him some packages, saying, “Here, put these in your pocket.” Witness did so, and took them ashore, also carrying a wireless accumulator. In the outside pockets of his overcoat witness had some Sydney papers which had been given him / by Downes. He put the packages of opium in the coat pockets of his suit, but made no effort to conceal them. When the Customs searcher asked what he had in those'pockets he handed them over straight r.'.zay, saying he had been given them by Downes. Witness did not know how opium was done up, and had he known he. was carrying the drug he would have had nothing to do with it. Downes had been carrying a radio loudspeaker and a brief bag co the car, and witness had helped-him by carrying some of . the packages and a wireless accumulator. .'? ■ .. "A Slur On Me.” Downes, who gave evidence on behalf of Brown, -supported the latter's story. .“He no more - knew what the packages contained than a bar of soap,” he said, -“and -is. entirely blameless. It is all my fault—for making him a party to it. When I was arrested,” he added, “I was .told that the Customs had been suspicious "of me. for some time past, and I considered it a ‘slur’ on me, because I have never brought opium ashore before.” Mr.' Perry' asked that the case against Brown' be dismissed, despite the fact that .the onus was on him to prove his innocence. He seemed to have been ignorant of the whole matter, and had not tried to conceal the drug in any way. - Mr. Page stated that the steward had given accused four packages marked with Chinese characters. “His suspicions must have been aroused under the circumstances, and the Court proposed to convict him. Brown was fined £25, the minimum penalty for being in possession of the drug, in default one month’s imprison-’ jment. , He was also allowed one week in which to pay his fine.