COURT NEWS.

Grey River Argus, 23 July 1926, Page 2

COURT NEWS.

INDIAN FINED £lOO. FOR BRINGING OPIUM. WELLINGTON, July 22. That the efforts of the Customs De parlment to suppress the smuggling o> opium into New Zealand, arc ineciing .with some success, was evidenced a. the Magistrate’s Court to-day, wlici. Natha Vittal, an Indian fruit hawkci •pleaded guilty to bringing four ano •a-half pounds of opium in.o the conn .try. Mr McLaurin, Collector of Customs, said that Vittal was one of a number o: Indians who returned to New Zealand by the Marama on July 20. His luggage was taken to r.n address in Tory Street, but no arrangements had boen made for his lodging there, and his lug gage was dumped out in the backyard Apparently, the opium was taken out di one of his cases and hidden in a stable in Sturdee Street, where it was latei found by the Customs Officer.

“It is solid opium, worth anythi'.} up to £3OO in New Zealand,’’ said M ■ McLaurin, “and I ask for a substan tial fine. Even if only one or two of these parcels of opium get through th< profit on them is sufficient to pay foui fines of those men who may b< caught.” Mr. Page, S.M., imposed a fine of I £lOO. _ 'I Theft from tobacconist. YOUNG MAN INVOLVED. AUCKLAND, July 22. A young) man named Raymond Francis AYoodley Grigg, pleaded not guilty at the Police Court to a cb '.rge of breaking and entering a tobacconists’ shop and stealing cigarettes tobacco and toilet requisites val u *] al £l7 Is Bd. When the detective visited the accused’s apartments on June 29 with a search warrant accused bolted and was not re-arrested. Rubber gloves, rubber shoes, jemmy- and other house-breaking implements were found on the premises as well as the goods alleged to be stolen from the tobacconist. With reference to another charge against the accused of having in his possession moulds for making! re§rmblanec of current coin, accused’s sis ter-in-law stated in evidence that while she resided with a sister at Devonport, the sister showed her hi< moulds for making half-crowns and sovereigns. The case is proceeding.