SING OR TONG?

Grey River Argus, 19 June 1933, Page 5

SING OR TONG?

IDENTITY PUZZLE. (P- r Press Association). AUCKLAND, June 17. The question of whether Willie Tong ami Tai Sing are one and the same person, or if not whether the one who claims to be Willie Tong and who was arrested and placed in Mount Eden prison on Monday has been mistaken for Tai Sing, will not be decided till Monday week. In the meantime, Tong has been released from prison. 1 The case is a most unusual one. A Chinese known as Tai Sing rented premises at Khyber Pass and got in arrears with his rent. The European landlords obtained judgment against him for £7 and the papers were duly served upon the debtor, or rather upon the Chinese assumed to be Tai Sing. The money not being forthcoming, a judgment summons was obtained and the Court fixed default in the payment of the debt at ten. days’ imprisonment. The Chinese upon whom all the proceedings had been served now claimed that he was Willie Tong and not Tai Sing, and he applied to the Magistrate’s Court for a rehearing, but the Magistrate decided that if Willie Tong was not Tai Sing there could not be a rehearing as no case had been heard against Tong. On Monday last, the Chinese who declares he is Willie Tong was arrested and placed in prison, and on Wednesday afternoon Mr. Sullivan applied to the Supreme Court for a rule nisi under the Habeas Corpus Act, calling upon the gaoler to show cause why Willie Tong should be detained in prison. Mr. Justice Reed made a rule nisi, but when the order was served upon the gaol superintendent yesterday afternoon he intimated that he only knew the Chinese prisoner as Tai Sing and did not know Willie Tong. However, the difficulty was soon got over by the order being made to read “ Willie Tong, otherwise known as Tai Sing.” Yesterday afternoon the Chinese. Tong or Sing, was brought to the Court, but his identity remains undecided by the Court as one of the plaintiffs is at Te Aroha and counsel had not had an opportunity to get in touch with him and receive instructions. His Honour said that he would adjourn the case till Monday week, the Chinese to be released providing a bond of £25 is found.