SEAMAN FINED

Greymouth Evening Star, 29 November 1929, Page 5

SEAMAN FINED

IN POSSESSION OF REVOLVER.

A small revolver, almost of vestpocket size, was on exhibition at the Greymouth Court this morning. It was drawn by its owner, John Heffernan, a seaman on the s.s. Kalingo, during the free fight between the crew of that vessel and the crew of the s.s. Ngatoro, which occurred on the Greymouth wharf on Wednesday night. Heffernan was remanded yesterday on a charge of being in posse-sielon of the revolver without a permfli. He appeared before Mr W. Meldrum, S.M,, to-day, and pleaded guilty. It was discovered that he had no cartridges for the revolver, and that, in any case, it was useless, as the spring was broken. Sergeant J. Smyth, after describing the trouble between the two crews, stated that the men of the Kalingo had been very outspoken when questioned, but the men of the Ngatoro gave no information to the police. The revolver was not in working order, and perhaps Heffernan’s reason for drawing it was simply to bluff the other men. If so, it was a very foolish action on his part. The Sergeant asked that the revolver be confiscated. It was examined by the S.M., who asked whether any cartridges were in it at the time of the fight. The sergeant replied in the negative.

The S.M. described the weapon as a toy revolver, pointing out that the spring was broken, and there were no cartridges. He convicted and fined Heffernan 5/-, and ordered that the revolver be.forfeited. It was taken possession of by the Sergeant, and will be thrown into the river.