ARE CRIMINALS BEING SENT TO NEW ZEALAND?

Colonist, Volume LI, Issue 12402, 18 November 1908, Page 1

ARE CRIMINALS BEING SENT TO NEW ZEALAND?

At Wellington a young man who is a native of Denmark, and who answered to the name of Fritz Christopherson, was brought before Mr Justice Cooper, he having pleaded guilty to a charge of having broken and entered a dwelling at Blenheim and stolen certain valuables therefrom. When asked if he had anything to why sentence should not be pass- j Xl upon him, the prisoner muttered •omething to the effect that although j le had committed the theft he had ! 'lot "broken into" the house. Mr j Justice Cooper said, that the Probauon Officer's report went to show that ■he prisoner had only been about .-hree years in the Dominion and that j so far as was known he had not been piilty of an offence here. But he Tad been convicted of an offence in -oporihagen whence he came to New Zealand. On that occasion lie was .lentenced to two years' imprisonment. Vfter ho had served only nine months >f that sentence he was released on "iondition that he came out here as a 'suitable emigrant!" — "is that so?" lis Honor asked, in a very much surprised tone, and the prisoner, who speaks very good English, owned up to the "soft impeachment." -His Honor: "Well, if that is so, the Danish authorities seem to have thought that the best way to get rid of you was to send you out to New Zealand and as a "suitable emigrant!" Unfortunately we shall have to keep you in our gaol for some time." Prisoner: "Well, when I came out of prison in Copenhagen I was asked where I would like to go to, and I said 'New Zealand.' " His Honor: What offence were you convicted of in Denmark? Well, I was falling into bad company. Yes, but what did you do that was not right? Oh, I stole something His Honor remarked' that if the Danish authorities really did take a man from prison and transport him in this way as a suitable emigrant to Zealand it was a matter which mould be thoroughly gone into. It the prisoner had opened the •vmdow of a schoolmaster's house at Blenheim and having entered the building stole money and valuables vorth nearly £40 He would bo imprisoned- for three years with hard abour and the goods would bo rostor>cl to the prosecutor His Honor add>d that he could hardly imacine that '.he Danish authorities would rocomnend a man taken out of one o£, their orisons as a "suitable immigrant." To this it may bo addon that Mr -•nstophorson was a highly desirable emigrant"— so far as Denmark wps concerned. Anyhow he will have three years loisnre during which he will, no loubt, make himself well acquainted ■vith the distinction in moaning that ■>xists between these commonly misused English words.