ALLEGED THEFT OF TEA

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21596, 14 September 1933, Page 13

ALLEGED THEFT OF TEA

CHARGE DISMISSED SEAMAN'S EVIDENCE DENIED A charge of stealing 61b. of tea, the property of the Union Steam Ship Company, was made against Lawrence Kdmondson, waterside worker, aged 38, who appeared before Mr. W. R. McKean, S.M., in the Police Court yesterday. Mr. Sullivan pleaded not guilty on behalf of accused.

Evidence was given by a Lascar seaman employed as watchman on board the steamer Narbada, that accused was one of 12 waterside workers engaged in a hatch. Witness said he saw accused take some tea from a chest, and he called the chief officer. The chief officer, Charles Burgess, said that accused denied taking the tea and that a brief bag containing tea was his property. Evidence that accused had denied the offence was also given by Constable Chalcraft, of' the Queen's Wharf station. Counsel said the defence was a complete denial. Accused was a man with a blameless record. He had been a waterside worker for 14 years, and had been employed by the Union Company for eight years. The bag exhibited in Court by the police was not accused' 3 property Accused in evidence denied the theft. A fellow worker also gave, evidence.

The charge was dismissed. The magistrate said there was no evidence to connect accused with the theft.