STOWAWAYS SENTENCED.

Star (Christchurch), Volume XLIV, Issue 201, 25 August 1931, Page 8

STOWAWAYS SENTENCED.

Practice Still Prevalent, State Police. Mr W. T. Lester. J.P., and Mr P. Maher, J.P., presided at a sitting of the Lyttelton Magistrate’s Court this morning when Patrick Corbett, aged 43, William James Burrows, 33, Hugh Anthony Parker, 24, and Alexander Ward, 29, were charged with stowing away on the ferry steamer Maori last evening and so attempting to avoid payment of the fare. All the accused pleaded guilty. Sergeant Dunlop reported that the men had been discovered on board the Maori last evening hidden away in various parts of the boat. Corbett was an Irishman; the other three accused were Australians and were believed to be showmen, although they did not admit it. They stated that they were labourers. Corbett was found in one of the lifeboats, the covers of which had been laced down, proving that he had been assisted to stow away. Sergeant Dunlop pointed out to the Bench that, if stowing away did not stop, the police would ask for much heavier penalties to be inflicted. Sergeant Dunlop again stressed the prevalence of this class of offence. Ward had sufficient money to pay his fare but was endeavouring to save the money. Burrows had 10s and stated that he was on board the ship endeavouring to borrow the balance of the money required to pay his fare. A fine of £2, in default seven days imprisonment, was inflicted upon each of the accused. Time was asked for by the accused in which to find the money, but the Court refused to grant the request.