PUNISHMENT ESCAPED

Evening Star, Issue 19774, 26 January 1928, Page 6

PUNISHMENT ESCAPED

MSHMEST FIREMEN [Per United Press Association;.] WELLINGTON, January 26. Nine firemen from the Tairoa were charged jointly with .having received a bale of dress material and a box of soap of a total value of £SO, knowing the goods to have been dishonestly obtained, and pleaded, guilty. A charge of breaking and entering the shed and stealing goods valued at £127 was withdrawn. When the shed was opened it was found that the goods were missing, and a search of tho vessel’s forecastle revealed tho goods mentioned in the charge. It was explained that the men constituted a complete watch on the veslsel, and the master was concerned as to his position if he were deprived of their services. Remarking that the act. evidently contemplated some such position, and in the interests of the dominion it was not desirable that the men should iemain imprisoned here, the magistrate said he realised it might not be adequate punishment (he did not think it was), but he proposed to formally sentence the men to a month’s imprisonment, they to be placed on board the ship before she leaves Wellington, lie thought that preferable to having the men landed here. The Tairoa goes to Napier, then Home.