CARGO PILFERERS SENT TO GAOE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 20052, 15 September 1920, Page 2

CARGO PILFERERS SENT TO GAOE.

A SALUTARY PUNISHMENT, Cargo pilfering cases were dealt with at a special sitting of the Magistrate’s Court at Lyttelton yesterdayl Mr S. E. M’Carthy, S.M.-, presided. . Faul Zalenski was charged with stealing eleven packets, of cigarettes, '■ two tins Of sardines and Pne tin of cocoa, of a total Value of 11s fid, from the hold of the Wairaan'a; Frederick Standing wa s charged with the theft of ten packets of cigarettes, valued at 75.6 d Und David Jones Marsden Bains was cMrgecl with stealing twelve packets of cigarettes, valued at Os, all being the property of thoaShaw-Savill and Albion Company. Zalenski, who was represented by Mr Sargent, pleaded not guilty. Standing and Bains both pleaded guilty. ' ‘ Zalenski, in his evidence, stated that . he had been employed by various shipping companies at Lyttelton and had never been in trouble before. He was acting as night watchman, and on descending the hold of the Waimana saw sardine tins lying about. He gathered as many a§ he could see and placed them in a bag, which be sent up to the carpenter. As he was about to ascend the ladder he saw the cigarettes and put them in his pocket intending to give them to Mr Henry, to whom lie was responsible. On arriving at the ■bottom of the gangway he was stopped and accused or, stealing. He had Objected to the manner in which he was accosted and declined to satisfy. his questioners, walking away to inform Mr Henry. ■ After evidence hfd been tendered and Mr Sargent had spoken on behalf of accused, the Magistrate Said that acPusOd took the cigarettes and other articles nut of the hold of the ship, and the question Wa s whether he had taken the articles for himself or whether he intended to hand them to tile ship’s officers- Accused was last bo leave the ship s hold, and being watchman thebe was no occasion to take the articles, i's he would bo the- first man down the hold next morning, and should then “ove given them to the ship’s officers. Mr Cain met accused on tho gangway, .but accused broke away. He had - the chance of informing tlie Customs officer, hut ho did-not mention the matter, neither did he -mention it to Reynolds or Henry, whom he saw later-. Itwas evident that accused bad intended to steal tlie goods found on Him. There was no other inference to draw. Accused had been put in a position of trust to prevent.others stealing. What 51 was- the effect of pilfering? It was that .the general public had to pay for tho losses and the bulk of the burden was placed on the poor people. “ I hOyc previously intimated that I would take a ’certain action in these Oases ” “id the Magistrate, “and the.accused will be convicted and sentenced to three mouths’ imprisonment, with hard labour.” Frederick Standing and David Jones Marsden Rains were each convicted- and sentenced to one months’ imprisonment with ham labour, the Magistrate re* marking that these two cases were soniOwhat different, as tho men were not placed in a position 0 f trust.