Additional Australian News.

Auckland Star, Volume VI, Issue 1666, 21 June 1875, Page 2

Additional Australian News.

(PER ALBION.)

The barque Albion from Newcastle this , morning brings Australian, papers to the 10th insb., from which, we make the follow" ing extracts : —

SEEIOUS CHARGE AGAINST AN

AUCKLAND SHIP'S OFFICER.

At the Newcastle Police Court, oa May 31, Thomas Zealand was charged with stealing a quantity of Bhip's stgrea— : viz., brashes, a handle, a rope, a harpoon, . hammer, and sundries, from the barque Albion, at Newcastle on the 30th inst.—Constable Knight deposed that he arrested the prisoner, and charged him with having things in his possession belonging to the barque Albion ; he told me that all his goods were at Duncason's" hotel. I went there, and found the articles , before the Court in a canvas bag ; prisoner was with me when I found the goods; he said they belonged to him.—Thomas Pennal," master of the barque Albion deposed : The articlss before the Court are the property of the Auckland Steam Packet Company. The prisoner was chief officer of the Albion, and I discharged him on Friday last. 1 did not give him leave to take any of the goods before the-Court. I saw the prisoner this morning. I asked him why ha had taken the goods ; that. I was sorry for him./ He said he had taken them beciuse he had not money enough to take him to Hobart Town, where his wife and family are. I told him I would have given him £10 or £20 rather than see him in the position he w« in ; some of the stolen property was on bosrd my ship yesterday morning.—Charles Webber deposed: I am steward on board the barque Albion. I was on board yesterday,' afternoon, and saw the prisoner come on board about six o'clock. I saw him leave the ship, and take with him the articles now be*, fore the Court. The articles were concealed among his clothes. I followed him ashore g and gave infoimation to the police. X f ',C •aricles belong to the Albion. —Pns* said that the things had been left kjSsf^" about the ship, and the captain jfoiajoia , him he might take anythislg he revjairea.-r,

Taotain Penal said the accused had behaved well aboard, and Captain Harland also gave L a good character, and said he had he\& commands on various vessels in the colonial j, O/ 3p —Prisoner was sentenced to three f \ imprisoHment. — The Newcastle yf,, :t commenting on the case, says: r nTuoC&ee was a somewhat peculiar one, and £ome sympathy was evoked for the '■ .censed, from the fact (hat for upwards of ten years he had borne a most excellent character. It has since transpired that the -roperty f oun d was only a very small portion of thai-stolen.. A large quantity of goods were found yesterday at a place where prisoner had asked permission to leave them ; and identified as the ship's property."