UNCUSTOMED OPIUM

Otago Witness, Issue 3196, 16 June 1915, Page 15

UNCUSTOMED OPIUM

HEAVY PENALTIES. An interesting case heard before Mr H. Y. Widdowson, C.M., on Thursday morning suggests to the lay mind that the existing minimum penalties in certain eases might well bo revised. Sone Saar, Charlo Melandor, and a young Chinaman named Long Tong were charged with being found m possession of tins of opium in a form suitable for smoking. Saar, a Swede, and Molandot, a Russian, wore two handsome, well set-up, well-dressed A.B.’s from the Oa.pe Finisterre, and Tong was the chief steward from the same vessel. Saar and Tong wore charged with having seven tins of opium in their possession, and Melander and Tong with having 10 tins of opium in their possession. The two Europeans pleaded guilty. Tong asked for a lawyer, and the case was adjourned until the services of Mr Irwin were secured. _ After consultation Mr Irwin pleaded guilty on his behalf. The Collector of Customs (Mr Cullen) said that according to Long Tong’s written statement ho had got the opium in London from a former chief steward. In order to dispose of it he had given 10 tins to one of the defendants and seven to the other, and arranged that they should take it off the boat and meet him with it at the Post Office. The two Europeans were caught rcclhandod with the tins upon them. This vessel had also been the subject of a similar prosecution in _ Napier. It seemed to him a most deliberate attempt at smuggling. The steward when arrested had £52 on him. Mr Irwin said that the Chinese had been particularly candid although the only evidence was the statement of the other two men. If he were fined an amount that he could not pay he could only be imprisoned until the ship sailed on Sunday. The money found on him belonged to the_ officers. The authorities could not hold him here as a prisoner as far as he could see. The other two men seemed, to have been dupes. They had acted only as carriers. None of these men had been in trouble before.^

His Worship said that the minimum fine was £25. It appeared that the real offender in this case was the Chinaman. Each of the two men in the box would have to be fined the minimum. He could not fine them less. They would each be fined £25 and ordered to pay half the court costs (9s). The Chinaman would be fined £25 on each of the two charges against him, and ordered to pay costs (Os'.