ALIEN SENT TO PRISON

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 210, 3 August 1940, Page 8

ALIEN SENT TO PRISON

ATTEMPT TO EVADE CENSOR. CONTENTS OF A LETTER. Per Press Association. WELLINGTON, Aug. 3. An enemy alien who attempted to send a letter to his father in Australia by a means which would have evaded the censorship was convicted and sentenced to 14 days’ imprisonment by Mr J. L. Stout, S.M. Accused, Alexander Hald, aged 25, company manager, pleaded guilty with (Jerald O’Byrne, aged 31, accountant, to attempting to evade the censorship with a letter which was stated by trte police to be of such a nature that in tho interests of the country it could not be read in open Court. O’Bvrne was convicted and fined £5. Senior-Sergeant Doyle said Hald was an enemy alien and the manager of a foreign company in Wellington. The other accused was an accountant by profession, an Australian, but was employed by the company, which had a branch here. Recently it was O’Byrne’s intention to leave for Australia. The two accused had been living at the same address for some time past and had been on friendlv terms. Prior to the sailing of the ship, the letter was found by a boarding inspector in one of the sheds, and on inquiries being made it was claimed by O’Byrne as his property. It l>ore no address beyond some initials on the envelope, which was sealed. The letter was opened and the contents brought to the notice of two detectives. O’Bvrne was interviewed and frankly admitted he had known Hald, that they had been friendly, and that Hald had asked him if he would take the letter and deliver it to Haiti's father in Australia. He had consented. Ho said he was not aware of the contents.

After saying lie would not he justified in reading the letter to the Court. Air Dovle added : “Tt will give some indication of where the svmpathies of accused Hald lie,” and handed it to the Magistrate. A idea was made for the suppression of O’Byrne’s n«me on the ground that he did not realise ho, was committing an .offence. He is a British subject, counsel said, and of Ids good character and loyalty there could be no doubt. The request was refused, but the Magistrate said afterwards that O’Byrne’s could be met by a fine.