"DOPE" SCANDALS.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume L, Issue 16406, 12 April 1924, Page 7

"DOPE" SCANDALS.

LONDON COCAINE PARTIES

CHINAMAN PUNISHED

'Australian and N.Z. Cablo Association.! LO'NDO'N, April 10.

The sentence of fourteen months' imprisonment imposed at Old Bailey on "Brilliant" Chang, a Chinese, for being in possession of cocaine, ends another amazing episode in Scotland Yard's tight against London's dope traffickers.

(bang recently conducted Chinese restaurants in Regent street, which was the rendezvous of Bohemian London, and tilt, scene of regular secret- cocaine parties. A series of scandals, resulting in disclosures al the inquest in Freda Tempton Young, a dancer, who died from an overdose of cocaine after a visit, to a restaurant, forced! him to retire to Limehouse. Although a number of Giinese in his employ were arrested for trafficking in cocaine for women Chang eluded prosecution until apprehended in Limehouse, the discovery of a small parcel of cocaine in a secret hiding place convicting him. Violet Payne, a chorus girl, made a statement that she asked Chang for cocaine in a Limehouse restaurant. Shortly afterwards a hand came over the wall and gave her a jacket. She put the money in the hand, hut did. not, see the face.

The Recorder, in imposing a sentence, said that girls must be protected from this soul-destroying drug and society must he purged.