OPIUM SMOKING

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXIV, Issue 77, 13 March 1934, Page 5

OPIUM SMOKING

Haining Street Raid SEVERAL CHINESE FINED (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, March 13. Heavy penalties were inflicted on Chinose who appeared in Court this morning as a result of a raid on an opium den in Haining street yesterday afternoon. The occupier of tho premises, Kum Tong, charged with permitting his premises to be used for the purpose of opium smoking, being found in possession of prepared opium and wilfully obstructing the police, pleaded guilty to the first and second charges and not guilty to the third. Seven other Chinese were charged with being found unlaw fully on premises used for opium smoking. All pleaded guilty. The sub-inspector said that the police had to force an entry, the building being heavily barricaded. The usual paraphernalia was seized. On tho first charge Tong wa s fined £lOO, with 10/- costs and £1 1/- interpreter’s fee, in default three months. On the second he was convicted and discharged. For obstructing the police he was fined £lO. Three of the other accused with previous convictions were fined £2O each and the remainder £l5.