Seven Days’ Gaol For Deserter From Overseas Ship

Greymouth Evening Star, 1 September 1947, Page 2

Seven Days’ Gaol For Deserter From Overseas Ship

According to his counsel, Jack Clive Griffin, an English seaman, tried to get a permit to enter New Zealand and, when he failed, he adopted the course of deserting from his vessel. He came to the West Coast and took up employment at the Dobson mine Griffin was arrested last Thursday and appeared in the Magistrate’s Court at Greymouth this morning, on remand, on a charge of deserting from the s.s. Ruahine at Wellington on July 12. He pleaded guilty. He was represented by Mr W. D. Taylor. Senior Sergeant R. C. Mcßobie said that the accused was a member of the Ruahine’s crew and was one of a number of deserters. He went to Christchurch after leaving the ship at Wellington and later came to the West Coast, taking up work at. the Dobson mine.

Mr Taylor said that the accused had been in the merchant navy for six years, serving for a good deal of the war period. Failing to obtain a permit to enter New Zealand, he deserted. He had been in the country for three months and had given no trouble. Mr Taylor stressed that as the offence had taken place prior to the magistrate giving a warning that in future he would impose the maximum penalty, the accused should be treated in the same way as the other deserters who had come before the court in Greymouth.

“I will take into consideration the time he has been in custody and treat him in the same way as his mates,” said the Magistrate (Mr A. A. McLachlan) in sentencing the accused to seven days’ imprisonment. I Traffic Offences I For permitting a cow to wander lon the main highway at Ngahere, i Walter Arnold Burr, for whom Mr ■ Taylor entered a plea of guilty, was ( fined 10/- and ordered to pay 12s i court costs and 7s 6d police expenses. I Senior Sergeant Mcßobie said that la man named Gibson was driving his 'car from Ngahere to Greymouth [when he collided with the cow. The I cow had to be destroyed and Bunadmitted ownership. Mr Taylor said that Burr had suffered the loss of the beast. He claimed that a neighbour, who had an easement over his property, damaged the fence and allowed the cow to get on to the road. Charles Sadler did not appear to answer charges' laid by the Transport Department inspector, Mr H. Lane, of operating a motor car at Greymouth on June 11 without having it equipped with the prescribed lamps and without being the holder of a warrant of fitness.

On the charge relating to the lighting he was fined £l, with 10s costs and on the other charge he was fined 10s, with 10s costs. Alleged Theft

A charge of theft against a young married man, whose name was suppressed, was dismissed, under Section 16 of the Offenders Probation Act. The accused, who was represented by Mr W. D. Taylor, entered a formal plea of not guilty but admitted the facts of the case. He was charged with stealing a copper and stand valued at £5 from a property at Arthur’s Pass.

Senior Sergeant Mcßobie said that, after an absence, the owner of the property found that it had been broken into and a number of articles were missing, including those named in the charge. The copper was later recovered from the accused’s home and he admitted taking it although he denied having entered the house. He said he had found it some distance from the house.

In evidence, the accused said he had found the copper lying threequarters of a chain or a chain away from the house. It was broken and disused and he had obtained the services of a carrier to take it away, in daylight. He had not broken into the house and had no intention of stealing the copper. The charge was dismissed, as stated.