MAGISTRATE'S COURT

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 24, 23 October 1918, Page 8

MAGISTRATE'S COURT

FOUND IN SHIP'S HOLD

CHARGE OF ATTEMPTED PILLAGING

A ship's fireman named George Sullivan, alias James Ormo, was charged before Mr. F. V. Frazer, S.M., \at the Magistrate's Court yesterday, with having attempted to steal cargo from .the hold of his vessel, while the latter was lying at tho King's Wharf, Auckland. In outlining the case for the prosecution," Chief-Defective Boddcim stated that on October 17, while the vessel was unloading at Auckland, the second officer, •Mr. Alec Coles,-noticed a light.in the ■hold,'which was hot being worked at. the time. Ho descended to tho hold himself, and there found accused. When asked what he was doing accused stated that ho did not know how he camo to get into tho hold, and protended to to drank. The officer considered that ho was 6ober. The man had no right, whatever to be in the hold, as he was a firemen, and was off duty at the time.\ The circumstances justified a strong suspicion Hint the accused had gone down ;the hold-for' tho purpose-of broaching icargo, "and would have done so had he not bee;; interrupted by the second officer. • .According to the evidence •:■■•. tne second officer the cargo did !!•".!' show any sigM Mi having been bread:;-;! at the time, but two-nights -previously some goods had'been stolen. Suspended into tho hold was a rope, which was secured to a winch on deck. At the other end of the rope a small iron bn; and a heavy round fife had'been attached, as if to steady it.' The accused could not have entered the hold by means of the ladder as the hatch was in position. Accused climbed up the rope to get out of rho hold. An. intoxicated man could hardly have performed such a feat. Accused pleaded not'guilty, and denied any knowledge of , the roue, iron bar, and file. Ho said he had. seen a light in the hold, and had gono down to see who was there. ■■ • " '.'..: Accused was committed for trial, bail being-allowed in tho sum of .£SO. OTHER CASES. . : Morgarei' Williams'- was fined .£l, in default seventy-two hours' imprisonment, for drunkenness. On a charge of driving a vehicle on the wrong side of the street, Frederick Bradley was fined 10s., with £1 Is. costs. Harold Wilkinson was fined 10s., with 7s. costs, for driving a motor-car at a greater 'speed than, eight miles per hour over the intersection of Taranaki Street and Courtenny ]?heo. For allowing cows to wander, ten Thompson was fined £b, with 7s. costs. On informations of having allowed horses to roam at largo, .Tohn Mackay and Thomas Parker were each fined £\, with cost 3-75.; C. and A. Odlin were fined £1, with Ms. costs; Cyril Drew was fined 10s., with lis; costs; and Kathleen Evans and Henry Grant were each fined 10s., with 79. costs.