CARGO PILLAGING

Greymouth Evening Star, 28 October 1944, Page 2

CARGO PILLAGING

WATERSIDE WORKERS GAOLED

CHRISTCHURCH, October 27

“Cargo pillaging is just plain thieving, a crime against society and against the law.,” said Mr. Raymond Ferner, S.M., at the Lyttelton Magistrate’s Court to-day in sentencing three waterside workers to terms of imprisonment for theft of cargo. The Magistrate said that fines had been tried, and then short terms of imprisonment. Now the terms of imprisonment would be longer.. It was the duty of the police and of the Court to endeavour to put down this evil.

William Arthur St. John pleaded guilty to a charge of stealing .13 packets of cigarette papers, four boxes of face powder, and seven boxes of rouge, valued at £4 19/10. the property of the Union Steam Ship Company. Senior-Sergeant D. Wilson said that on Saturday afternoon the chief officer of the steamer express Wahine had become suspicious of a gang of watersiders working in one hold. As a result two constables searched the men, and various packets of cosmetics and cigarette papers were found on or near them. St. John was convicted and sentenced to one month’s imprisonment. William Peter Bates pleaded guilty to a charge of stealing seven packets of cigarette papers and not guilty to a further’ charge of stealing nine packets of papers and three boxes of face powder. The Magistrate said said there was a slight doubt in the evidence on the second charge, and the accused was entitled to the benefit of that doubt. On the first charge he was convicted and sentenced to three weeks’ imprisonment. Francis Edward McNaulty pleaded not guilty to stealing 13 packets of papers arid two boxes of face powder, valued at £1 1/-, the property of the Union Steam Ship Company. He was convicted and sentenced to one month’s imprisonment. A charge against Leonard Roland Blackburn of stealing one box of face powder, valued at 6/- was dismissed.