FINE OF £40

Evening Post, Volume CXX, Issue 86, 8 October 1935, Page 13

FINE OF £40

CHINESE CONVICTED

OPIUM SMOKING UTENSILS

, A fine oil £40 and costs was imposed on Ah Wall, aged 32, the keeper o£ a Chinese laundry in Molcsworth Street, by Mr. E. D. Mosley, S.M., in the Magistrate's Court today, for being found last evening in possession o£ utensils used for the smoking of opium. Evidence was given by the police of finding a warm pipe from which fumes were still coming, a hot | opium lamp cover, and a' small quanI tity of opium "seconds."

. Charges of being found on the premises, laid against Fong Kee, a laundryman, aged 38, and Jean Irish Moore, a domestic, aged 25, were dismissed. A further "charge against the woman of being idle and disorderly was also dismissed.

Constable J. Gracie said he went to j 88 Molesworth Street at 7.20 last even- j ing, following a complaint. The front door was open, but another door leading into a front room -was locked. He jumped over the counter and saw Fong Kee looking through the glass window of the door. He pushed open the door, and as he did so he heard people scattering on the other.side. ' I

All Wah was also in the room, and rushed into Die bedroom and threw the glass cover of an opium lamp and a pipe into the fireplace. The lamp cover was hot, and the pipe was still smoking.

To Mr. A. B. Sievwright, who appeared for the three accused, the witness said there was no prepared opium found on the premises.

After other police evidence had been heard Ah Wah was convicted. His excuse was that the utensils were the property of the previous occupier of the premises, Charlie Fong, who had died about three weeks ago.

Fong Kee said the owner of the place had died, and he had come down from Napier on business connected with the ownership of the laundry—he had not seen the articles until they were found by the police.

Jean Moore, who was found in another room, said she had been visiting Ah Wah, whom she had known for two and a half years. Until recently she had been in almost regular employment. No opium had been smoked in her presence.