INTERPRETER’S OBJECTION

Taranaki Daily News, 19 July 1933, Page 9

INTERPRETER’S OBJECTION

CHARGES AGAINST CHINESE RATHER GO TO GAOL THAN SPEAK POLICE ALLEGE INTIMIDATION. COMMON GAMING-HOUSE KEPT. By Telegraph—Press Association. Christchurch, Last Night. During the hearing of gaming charges against 27 Chinese yesterday, an unusual development occurred when the magistrate, Mr. E. D. Mosley, announced that he was not satisfied with the interpreter, Percy Chew Lee, and that another interpreter would have to be secured. He therefore adjourned. the case. When the hearing was resumed this morning the new interpreter, W. Wah, a Canterbury College student, said frankly: “I would- rather go to prison than interpret on this occasion.” Senior-Sergeant Fox said that it had come to his knowledge that the Chinese concerned in the case had shown hostility to a number of their own countrymen, apparently because of an erroneous idea that they had given information to the police. There had actually been a threat of violence. That was rather an . ugly attitude to take up. The magistrate, addressing the accused, said: “You can take it from me that any threat from European or Chinese will reap its consequences. The British law, which grinds slowly, will grind that person.” Wah was still unwilling to act as interpreter. He denied that there had been hostility shown him, but he said there were circumstances which he did not wish to disclose. It was not fear. Wah added that Chew Lee was a competent interpreter. The magistrate: I was not satisfied with him. yesterday. The case proceded while an endeavour was made to secure another interpreter. Lafei- another interpreter, Chan, was secured, and Wah was released. from duty. The hearing. then proceded normally. . - . The principal accused, Yee Kwong, aged 63, a gardener, was charged with permitting his premises in Madras Street to be used as a gaming-house, and having prepared opium in his possession, Ah Sang, aged 64, a gardener, was charged with assisting. Kwong, and 25 other Chinese were charged with being found without lawful excuse in a gaminghouse. To-day Kwong depied that people coming to the house paid him anything to play fan-tan or dominoes. He did not know that fan-tan was illegal in New Zealand. Another Chinese said that the place was merely, a club for which subscriptions , were paid. . Convictions were recorded against all the 27 Chinese charged. Yee Kwong was fined £2O and costs for permitting premises to be used as a common gam-ing-house. One was fined £2 for being unlawfully in a common gaming-house, and the -.others on similar charges were each fined £l. . When Kwong offered to give up his opium-smoking utensils to be destroyed the charges relating . to opium were withdrawn.

The magistrate said the evidence proved that dominoes was being played for money. It was riot for him, he continued, to say anything .about, the difference between, one method of gambling and another.... His duty was to administer the law as made by the Legislature.