SMUGGLING CHINESE

New Zealand Times, Volume LIII, Issue 12363, 5 February 1926, Page 7

SMUGGLING CHINESE

INTO NEW ZEALAND “MATTER OF LIFE AND DEATH” ACCUSED FINED £75 (By Telegraph. —Special to “Times.”) AUCKLAND, February 4. When dealing with Charles Robert Poole, who admitted assisting three Chinese to unlawfully land in New Zealand, Mr J. W. Poynton, S.M., this morning delivered a lecturette upon the importance of not allowing people of an inferior standard of living to get a solid footing, otherwise New Zealanders would have to come down to that standard or get out. Mr Singer (appearing for Poole): Your Worship is assuming the three Chinamen are men of an inferior class. —I don’t know them at all. They might be students, clergymen, lawyers, or (with a smile) even magistrates. In a statement made to A. V. Penn, Collector of Customs, Poole, a fireman on the Tofua, said that on December 3rd he was approached by a Chinaman and asked to deliver some letters in Suva, and also to assist two Chinamen to land at Auckland. He delivered the letters, and was told that two Chinamen would be making the trip to Auckland with him, but there were three. CLEVERLY CONCEALED He hid the Chinese in a storeroom near the boilers, and had provided

them with good. So well were they hidden that they evaded the usual search made for stowaways. However, during the trip on© of the engineers on board discovered them, and on arriving at Auckland the three men were brought before the court and dealt with.

In asking the court to impose only a nominal fin« 7 Mr Singer pointed out that the accused was only a young man and had no nfoney. Notwithstanding the fact that the maximum penalties were heavy, counsel thought His Worship would agree* that the smuggling of Chinamen into New Zealand'was not so heinous an offence as bringing in opium or pocket-picking. “The accused is not a criminal, and not as bad as the mau who, having a conviction, walks within the sacred precincts of our racecourses,” urged the counsel. “I ask Your Worship to take into consideration the fact that the accused is a poor man, and that the penalty be one to fit not only the crimes but also the criminal.” His Worship said the matter of allowing men of an inferior standard of living into the Dominion was one of life and death. It was important to keep out people who lived below our standard. Once they got a footing the country could never get rid of them, and the white people would have to come down to the same standard or get out. There were two aspects to he considered in the present case, punishment and the deterring effect. “He will be fined £25 on each of the three charges, but, in future, unless there are mitigating circumstances, the full penalty will be imposed,” said His Worship, who added that the Chinamen would no doubt come to the accused’s assistance. A month was allowed in which to pay the fine, in default one month’s imprisonment.