PILLAGING OF CARGO.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18862, 10 November 1924, Page 9

PILLAGING OF CARGO.

BOTTLE OF WHISKY STOLEN.

ONE MONTH'S IMPRISONMENT.

One month's imprisonment with hard labour was imposed by Mr. F. K. Hunt, S.M., on George William Fisher, aged 34 (Mr. Adams), a waterside worker, who was charged in the Police Court on Saturday with the theft of a bottle of whisky, valued at 6s, belonging to the New Zealand Shipping Company. Accused pleaded not guilty. Nicholas R. Kiely, employed by the company as assistant-watchman, stated that he was on duty on the steamer Cumberland at the Queen's Wharf on Friday afternoon, and when standing above No. 6 hatch he saw accused extract a bottle of whisky from a sack in the hold and place it in his pocket. He then handed the bottle to another labourer, who had his back turned to witness, and whom witness could not recognise. Acfused denied the offence when witness taxed him with it. Later witness found the bottle hidden on a beam in the hold. David Little, customs officer, gave evidence as to the finding of the bottle, and that five similar bottles had been pillaged from, a case in the hold. Courtney Sinel, an employee of the companv, "stated that the average value of liquor pillaged from cargo at the port amounted to £15 or £20 a ship. Accused asserted that the first he knew of the alleged theft was when ho was accused of it by Kiely. "I am a temperance man myself, and I come from a police family," he said. I have two children and a sick wife, and it is not likely that I would steal the whisky. I am quite innocent, and I have been mistaken for someone else; there were five others in the hatch beside myself. Mr. Hunt: Yes, and I suppose they all had a drink of whisky, too. Ono month's hard labour.