NEGRO STOWAWAY

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 674, 28 May 1929, Page 1

NEGRO STOWAWAY

HID ON BRITISH SHIP IN CUBA MUST REMAIN ON VESSEL Wearing a white silk shirt in vivid contrast to his dusky skin, a young negro who had stowed away on a British ship in Cuban waters, stood in the Police Court dock this morning. TGNACE NELSON JACOB, a fireman 1 aged 31, pleaded guilty to stowing away on the Lawbeath at Port Tarafa, Cuba. “I want to give my reason,” he said. “This man arrived on the boat yesterday,” remarked Sub-Inspector McCarthy. “The vessel is berthed at Chelsea, and the skipper is not present in court. Jacob cannot be landed here, as he is a restricted immigrant.” Carefully choosing his words and speaking in excellent English, the negro made his explanation. “In Cuba X was In the middle of poverty and disgrace,” he said. “I heard of this British ship going, as I thought, to a British port, and I thought it would be the best thing I could do to get away on It, so I hid on board. It was the only way I could get a living.” The sub-inspector pointed out the difficulty attaching to Jacob being a restricted immigrant. “If he attempts to land here he must be deported,” he declared. “He must be put back on the boat, but nothing can be done until the captain is here.”

Jacob was remanded for a week and ordered to be placed on the ship if it should sail before then.