FRIEND IN GAOL

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22722, 7 May 1937, Page 12

FRIEND IN GAOL

GIFT OF CIGARETTES

COMMON TYPE OF OFFENCE STATEMENT BY DETECTIVE [BY TKLKOHAI'H OWN' CORUKSPONDKNT] NAPIER, Thursday Convicted of delivering to a prisoner at the Napier gaol a quantity of cigarettes, a Chinese market gardener., Charles Ark Hoo, was fined with JOs costs, by Mr. .1. Miller, S.M., in the Napier Police Court to-day. The police stated that a small quantity of opium, enough for two or three pipefills, was also contained in the carton of cigarettes, but the magistrate accepted accused's .statement that he was unaware of its presence.

"Accused approached a Maori prisoner in the garden and asked him to take the cigarettes to a friend who went to gaol after being fined £SO the other day," said Detective-Sergeant H. Nuttall. "The breach came to the notice of the prison officials and Detective K. W. Mills accosted accused at Meeanee. He admitted that he had lived with the prisoner at Meeanee and had found the cigarettes in a loft they had been using. He decided to do him a good turn and bring them to his friend, but he absolutely denies any knowledge that there was opium with them."

Mr. Nuttall produced a packet with a small quantity of opium wrapped inside, but said that as there was no direct evidence for a charge of being in possession of prepared opium, the police were willing to withdraw it. The Magistrate: Is there much of this done? Mr. Nuttall: There is always trouble of this sort in all gaols. Oftenwwhetn t prisoners are searched after work it is found they are in possession of cigaretts, tobacco, and other articles they should not have. The seriousness of the position is that it is possible to hand over poison or explosives, or any other articles that may do an immense amount of harm.

"1 will give you the benefit of the doubt about the opium," said the magistrate, in fining accused. "The offence against the prison regulations is a very serious one."