CARGO BROACHED

Waikato Times, Volume 127, Issue 21184, 6 August 1940, Page 8

CARGO BROACHED

WATERSIDER STEALS WHISKY LATER KNOCKED DOWN BY CAR (By Telegraph.—rress Association) WELLINGTON, Monday The explanation of William Henry Morgan, watersider and seaman, as to how he came to be in possession of bottles of whisky alleged by the

police to have formed part of a cargo of an overseas ship discharging at Wellington recently was not accepted by Mr J. L. Stout, S.M.. when Morgan appeared and pleaded not guilty of theft. He was sentenced to two months’ hard labour. Senior Detective P. Doyle said a vessel which arrived at Wellington had on board 150 cases of whisky consigned to Dunedin. On reaching Dunedin it was found that one case was missing. Accused was working in the vicinity of the hold where the whisky was stored until j p.m., and about five minutes later he was picked up unconscious near the wharf gates, where he was knocked ; down by a car. I The police found in his possession ' two bottles of whisky of a certain | brand and another bottle of similar I whisky, which had been smashed. ; When interviewed by the police in hospital. Morgan made no reference to the third bottle, but said he purchased two bottles of whisky at a ! hotel. It would be shown that the hotel named had no whisky of the particular brand concerned. After evidence had been given on 1 behalf of the police and accused, the ; magistrate said accused had failed to account for his possession of the ! particular brand of whisky. That, ; coupled with the fact that he had ; just come off the ship from which the whisky was missing, was suffici ient to convict him of the offence. !