OPIUM CASE.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXV, Issue 18499, 21 February 1930, Page 7

OPIUM CASE.

EVIDENCE INSUFFICIENT TO CONVICT. The Magistrate, Mr C. R. OrrWalker* S.M., delivered his reserved decision yesterday, in the case in which Willie Young, a Timaru Chinaman, was charged that, at Timaru, on December 3, being the occupier of premises in Hay’s Buildings, Stafford Street, Timaru, he permitted such premises to be used for the concealment of prepared opium. He was further charged with having been in possession of prepared opium on December 3. The Magistrate stated that there was not sufficient evidence to show that defendant had prepared opium in his possession. The opium was found in a shop occupied by defendant, but in view of the fact that Young did not live there, the opium might have been put there by some employee. On the charge that the premises were used for the concealment of opium, the question to consider was whether accused was wilfully blind to the fact that it was there. In that case he would be entitled to the benefit of the doubt. The defendant had called a witness who had been convicted of smoking opium, and who stated that the opium was left there by him. That man’s evidence was hopelessly unbelievable, and it was not on his story that the case was dismissed. In dismissing both charges, the Magistrate said he would accept Young’s story that he was not wilfully blind to the opium being on the premises, but if such a position happened again defendant might not get out of it.