"A DISTRESSING CASE"

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 74, 21 December 1918, Page 3

"A DISTRESSING CASE"

MAN TRIES TO FIND WORK

BUT FALLS FOUL OF THE POLICE

"The circumstances attending this mutter are really distressing," counsel's description of n case heard by Jlr. J.' , - V. Frazer, S.M., at the Jlngistrate's Court yesterday, in which ft man named Peter Kreyl was charged with having entered- the . Queen's Wharf on Thursday a_fter- having been served with an exclusion order. Accused was also charged with, having resisted Constable Isbieter while in the execution of his duty.

Inspector Marsack said that Kreyl was an alien against whom an order had been issued forbidding him to go on the wharves. On Thursday he was seen on the Queen's Wharf, and was told thnt hd had no right to be ther?. He refused to go away when ordered, and when placed under arrest resisi d violently, efforts having to be made to 'subdue him. Constable Isbister, who arrested accused, said that when they got outside the wharf gate Kreyl said he wanted to see -somebody in the Drivers' Union. Witness proceeded to accompany the man there, but on the way he "bolted.", With some difficulty witness succeeded in getting him back to the wharf police station, where he started to' "play up" again. Finally, the assistance of another constable had to lie obtained, and accused was handcuffed. The accused was a Dutchman, and having been convicted of theft from a vessel it was inexpedient that he should be allowed on the wharf at all. !

Sub-Inspector W. B. M'llveney, jin charge of the examination of aliens permits on the vrntorside, stated that accused entered his office, on Thursday morning, and on boing asked where his papers were stated that they were at Petone. Witness told him that he had no right to be on the wharf, and urged him to leave. Accused refused to do so, and attempted to walk in the opposite direotion. He wae then placed in custody. Immediately he attempted to jump ; through a window, but a civilian preI vented him from escaping in this man- ! nor. He was exceedingly, violent, when brought in the second time by. Constable Ir.biater, accused made no remark exrcept to 6hout, "I have done wrong; I have done wrong." It was explained' at this etage that a license to go iipon the wharves bad been issued to accused last year, but owing to his conviction for theft it had been withdrawn. Mr. H. F. O'Leary, who appeared for accused, stated that the man had only come out of gaol on Wednesday after serving si sentence of two weeks' imprisonment. Ho immediately endeavoured, to get work, and on Wednesday night he was informed by' a neighbour that he could find employment driving a coal cart from the Gas Company yards to the wharf. While in the cells at the police station awaiting transportation to the gaol he wae servsd with a paper warning him agiuwi goinit upon the wharves. He was net quite sure as to its provisions, and it was for the purpose of verifying the position that he went on the Queen's Wharf on ■Thursday in order to see SubInspector M'llveney. He had acted contrary to the War Regulations, no doubt. "But,", said Mr. O'Leary, "there is a stronger law as far as Kreyl is concented, and that is tho maintenance of his wife and children. The case is a dictrtse-

ing one. He has a wife and seven ciijidren, the eldest of whom is only tea, and one of whom is. an invalid. When, ho was in gaol his fp.a<.l:;r wer6 dependent upon assistance, .an-' they subsisted on bread and mussel? obtained from Petone beach. It was for the purpose of endeavouring to pet work that Krcyl went on the wharf. His excitement might well be understood when iie thought of the prospect of his'wife and ohildren being left in the same position as they had been during the past fortnight. The state they were left in was the cause of his going to the wharf and doing what he did. As it is, he won't be able to work for some time, because in the hurly-burly his arm was twisted, and it will be some little time before he- can' do much. The case is a most distressing one, and I can call his wife to substantiate what' I have snid. This is not a.tale; the facts I have stated are substantially cojrect." Inspector Marsack: Unfortunately, the tale has been told on two or three occasions before. 'Mr. O'Leary: How can Mr. Marsack state that this is a tale? The facts apeak for. themselves. . The man's wife, who wept bitterly all the time Mr. O'Leary was epeaking, sobbed out that what counsel had stated was true. '••

Mr. O'Leary said he was entitled to repent what the Inspector had said. Inspector Marsack: This tale has beon told before, and on more than one. occasion.

Mr. O'Leary: It is not a tale it is a fact. Mr. Frazer remarked that jio doubt what had been stated about Kreyl's fnmilv was true, but no matter how one mitfhf sympathise with them, one could not overlook the fact that TCreyl waa pnrtly, if not wholly, responsible for what* had happened. The man had been in "trouble before, and it was a pity, that he had not considered his wife and family. The excuse for the present trouble seemed to be reasonable. Kreyl would be convicted and ordered to come up for sentence when, called upon within > three months. "Now, Kreyl," admonished Mr.'Frnzer, "for goodness sake , . try to keep out of harm's way after this. If' you keep straight during the next three.months..nothing more will be heard of the matter."