RAID ON CHINESE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21554, 27 July 1933, Page 11

RAID ON CHINESE

PREMISES BARRICADED POLICE CUT HOLE IN ROOF NINE MEN ARRESTED [by telf.grArn—own correspondent] WELLINGTON. Wednesday A police party, finding it impracticable to forco the doors or windows of premises in Tory Street, suspected of being an opium den, cut through tho roof early this morning and arrested nine Chinese. The same premises were raided in March, but the fortifications, which then were strong, had been greatly increased. . Eight of the Chinese appeared in tho Police Court to-day charged with being found on premises used for tho smoking of opium. The ninth man, Willie Wong, was charged with permitting the premises to bo used as an opium den and with being unlawfully in possession of utensils used in con- 1 nection with opium smoking, and with wilfully obstructing the police. Sub-Inspector Martin said Senior-Ser-geant Scott, Sergeant Black and some constables from the Mount Cook police station paid a visit to the place about 2 o'clock this morning. When tho premises were raided in March the same occupier had been sent to prison. On tho arrival of the police this morning Willie Wong came to the door, but refused to admit the police, who had to gain entrance by taking sheets of iron off the roof. Tho house was heavily barricaded as it had been on the previous occasion and it smelt of opium. The Doors Locked Sergeant Slack said he went to the back door of the house and rang the door bell. Someone came down the stairs and looked through a peephole. Witness called out to the Chinese to open the door but the men hurried upstairs and the sergeant said he heard doors being locked. Senior-Sergeant Scott, officer in change of the Mount Cook police station, said he had taken up his post on. tho verandah of tho house, with constables posted at the exits. As there had been no response to Sergeant Black's knock he and a constable got a ladder and climbed on to the roof. There they proceeded to make an entrance through sheets of iron. He saw "JVillie Wong in an attic and asked him to "open up." Wong replied: "No, no, you bad man." Witness said he had been obstructed by accused. Mr. Mcltzer, for accused, submitted there had been no active resistance. Tho conduct of Wong was purely passive. When the senior sergeant appeared on the roof, apparently from the sky, Wong may have suffered from confusion. Counsel suggested that the conduct of Wonp; did not come within the meaning of section 77, under which tho charge was made. Mr. Meltzer said he had appeared in a number of similar cases, but he never had had to defend an obstruction charge. He contended it was no offence for a person to have his house barricaded. He asked tho magistrate to dismiss the charge. Obstruction Proved The magistrate, Mr. E. Page, said that when the Chinese looked out of tho peephole and ran away the place was secured. That he considered constituted obstruction. Wong had been before tho Court previously on a similar charge and also conccrninc pakapoo, and the magistrate thought a conviction must follow. Concerning the other men, Mr. Meltzer said it was plain that some of them were addicts. He submitted that prison did not do them any good. It was known that tho police had to obtain "pills" to keep some of tho Chinese going. He said it was farcical that proceedings for opium smoking should bo taken when the police had power to close premises which they knew were opium dens. Wong was fined a total of £55. The penalties in the cases of the other Chinese ranged from £ls to £l2 10s.