AT “THE ISLAND”

Southland Times, Issue 18937, 10 May 1923, Page 6

AT “THE ISLAND”

ROTOROA HAPPENINGS. SERIOUS ALLEGATIONS OF TRAFFIC IN DRUGS. A remarkable story was told in the Invercargill Magistrate’s Court yesterday morning when Edward George Barker was charged before Mr G. Cruickshank, S.M., with escaping from Rotoroa Inebriates’ Home. Detective-Sergeant Carroll said the accused had been committeed there last August or September, and had been arrested the previous day on a vessel at the Bluff. The detective stated that he desired a remand to Auckland. It was not liquor that was the matter with the accused, the detective alleging that he was a dope fiend. Mr Reed opposed the application. "The men sent to this Inebriates’ Home could get as much drugs a l } they liked through the post,” said counsel. Books followed out for the purpose were used in the traffic and the accused was getting as much of a certain drug—which was his particular fancy—as he liked. That, continued Mr Reed, was why the accused escaped and he submitted it was no use sending him back there. The captain of lhe ship on which the accused had been working gave him a good character. The police suggested that in the light of Mr Reed’s disclosures, the Salvation Army authorities should be able to put a stop to the traffic that was alleged to be going on. Inspector Macnamara said that he knew the accused well. He had prosecuted when the accused was committed to the Home. At that time he was in a bad way and when they got him in Wellington he was taking enough drugs in one day to kill 24 men—that was, men who had not taken drugs before. “He seems to have done well,” said the Inspector, referring to his subsequent career, “and the Salvation Army authorities might get the necessary authority under the Act to deal with him.” The accused was remanded to appear at Auckland on May 14.