CAUGHT WITH OPIUM

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXVII, Issue 19450, 27 March 1933, Page 8

CAUGHT WITH OPIUM

MINIMUM FINE IMPOSED. By Telegraph—Press Association GISBORNE, March 25. Before Mr Harper, S.M., to-day, a Chinese named Wong Ham (25), pleaded guilty to a charge of being found in possession of prepared opium. Detective McLeod said he saw accused in town with a parcel, and on being asked what it contained accused said it was tea. He was taken to the police station, where the parcel was opened and found to contain a basket of tea. also a packet ot prepared opium. Accused said the opium had been sent from Wellington. Detective McLeod, continuing, said that if the opium were to get into the town, sooner or later women would get hold of it, and unfortunately some young women, both pakeha and Maori, were in the habit of visiting the Chinese here. In the case before the Court, the value of the opium was £2, but papers found on accused indicated that similar quantities had been previously obtained at intervals of about one month. The Magistrate said that as accused had not been in trouble before, he would not be fined the maximum penalty, but a fine of £25, the minimum under the Act, would be imposed.