CHINESE FINED

Dominion, Volume 30, Issue 63, 8 December 1936, Page 18

CHINESE FINED

Result of Police Raid OPIUM CONFISCATED Arrested in barricaded premises at No. 4 Haining Street by a posse of police shortly before 7 o’clock on Sunday evening, six Chinese appeared "in the Wellington Magistrate’s Court yesterday, facing charges of opium smoking. At the raid the police confiscated a quantity of paraphernalia which filled two small cases when produced in court. A small amount of opium was also seized. Sub-Inspector J. Dempsey, who prosecuted, said that at 6.45 p.m. on Sunday Sergeants J. Cantion and W. Brown and Constables Donald Ross, F. Thomson, and 11. Baty raided a two-storied building at No. 4 Haining Street. Although the premises were heavily barricaded, the police experienced little difficulty in gaining an entrance. An attempt to enter oy an upstairs window failed, so timber barricading round a window near the back door was broken and a constable went in to open the door. In an upstairs room the police'found Joe Sing and the keeper of the premises, Ah Gin. This room was fitted with low benches on three sides, and there were six opium pipes, four pipe stands, and three lighted slush lamps. There was also a very heavy smell of opium. In another room were two sets of scales for weighing opium, four utensils containing opium, and a tin of opium seconds or “yen shoe.” All this was confiscated. In this room the police found Ah Low, while crouched under the stairs were Jim Young, Jim Hung, and Percy Locke “in the hope that they would be overlooked.” The premises had previously been used for opium smoking, but Ah Gin was appearing as the keeper for the first time. Although it was barricaded the barricading was not new. Ah Gin was before the court in 1929 and 1932 for smoking opium and 1932 and 1936 for being on premises

used for that purpose. He was a laundryman aged 32 years. Ah Low, gardeneer, aged 61, Percy Locke, laundryman, aged 40, Jim Young, gardener, aged 47, Jim Hung, fruiterer, aged 62, and Joe Sing, fruiterer, aged 49, were each charged with being on the premises without lawful excuse. Low was before the court in 1933 and 1935 on similar charges, Locke in 1926 for being in possession of opium, in 1930 for being in possesson of utensils used for opium smoking, and in 1932 for being in possession of prepared opium and for using premises for smoking opium, Young for keeping a common gaming house, and Sing for being on premises used for smoking opium, but Hung was unknown to the police. An interpreter made known the charges to the accused, all of whom pleaded guilty. Appearing on their behalf, Mr. R. Hardie Boys said they were the victims of a craving, the satisfaction of which brought them under the penal laws. Further, they were not derelicts, in that they had sums of money ranging from £4 to £l4 when arrested, except Ah Gin, who had only 10/-. “Thus they were quite good citizens in their own community, and had gone to the premises for a quiet Sunday smoke.” said Mr. Boys. “They did not give the police any trouble, and I submit that the circumstances do not warrant any extension of the minimum penalties as required by the law. I also a«k that reasonable time be given in which to pay any penalties that might be imposed.” Ah Gin was fined £5O with 1/9 interpreter’s fee, and allowed one week in which to pay, Joe Sing, Jim Hung, and Jim Young each £l2/10/- with 11/9 costs. Ah Low £l4 with 11/9 costs, and Percy Locke £l6 with 11/9 costs, each being allowed a fortnight in which to pay. Mr. Raymond Ferner, S.M., was on the bench.