CARGO PILLAGING

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 140, 8 March 1919, Page 8

CARGO PILLAGING

SERIOUS INCREASE IN WELLINGTON HEAVY FINES IMPOSED "At the port of Wellington cargobroaching has increased to such an alarming extent that it has become a very serious problem to tho large business firms " These comments were made at tho Magistrate's Court yesterdny by Detec-tive-Sergeant Cox, in a case in whic.i seven American seamen belonging to the vessel Tonowanda were brought up for 6ontence on charges of theit of cargo. Leonard Kudiger pleaded guilty to stealing four pairs of scissors, valued «£2, the property of Daljrety and Co.; Lrnest Kirbv, 20 tins of tobacco and five pairs of la'dies' 6ilk stockings, of the valuo of .£3 10s.; August Kongs, seven pairs of silk stockings, valued fit Is. GjJ.j Olfiv Emberland, one pair of silk stockings, of the value of Bs.; Ivan Frederick Wright, seven tins of tobacco, valued g.t 10s. 6(1.; Carl Hansen, two pairs of silk stockings, valued at 10s.; and Nels Nelson, ono pair of silk stockings, valued at,.Bs.

"Some of these men were supervising the unloading nf the Tonowanda's cargo," said Detective-Sergeant Cos; "others were employed in sweeping up the holds or wore working about the decks. It is the usual practice for members of the crew to 1)0 placed in charge of the lumpers working any particular hold 011 those vessels, "but when a member of the crew is dishonest or has dishonest tendencies in closing his eyes to some, if not all, of the lumpers who are also of a dishonest nature, it is quite clear that the cargo is at tlie mercy of these men; Up to the present claims to the amount of ■ESOO have been made in respect to the pillaging of cargo on this Iwat. The cargo was very badlv pillaged indeed." Detec-tive-Sergeant Cox said that cargo-pillag-jn® was increasing to such an alarming extent at this port that it was becoming a very serious problem to the large business firm*. As tho Tonaivanda's captain was desirous of talcing the men away with him in the course of a dav or two, De-tective-Sergeant Cox suggested that instead of imprisoning the men a substantial fine should be imposed in each case. Tim captain would pay the fine. Eudiger said all he and hi? mates had done was to pick up such of the cargo as had dropped out of cases. The cargo had not been broached here; it must have been interfered with at NeM Det'ectivo-Sergeant Cox said that liu-dio-er attempted to sell the.fonr pairs of scissors for £h The cargo could have been pillaged at Auckland. "This cargo-pillaging has for a considerable time past been regarded as a serious matter, and tliere is 110 doubt about it that it is a very serious question for the exnorlers i.i) other countries, the importers "here, the shipping companies, and various other people interested." said "Mr. Frazer. For some months past it had been the practice of the Court to imprison cargo-pillagers, and that appeared to have been morallv effeetive, because for Eome time there had been very few cases of such a nature before tho Court. That did not imply that there had been no cargo-.broach-ing; it meant Dial/very few cases had been detected end brought before, Ihe Court. Although lie vas reluctant not to impos ft a term of imprisonment, lie realised the inconvenience that would be caused if the men were sent to gaol, and he would therefore adopt the suggestion made bv. Detective-Sergeant Cox. liudiger Kirby and Kongs were fined J32Q Jaoh, in default three months' imin'isomnent, and the other four men were lined .£lO each, the alternative being fixed 1 at six weeks' imprisonment.

Theft by a Watersider. A waterside worker named William Troup, for whom Mr. TL F. O'Leary appeared. plended guilty before Mr. Fra/.en' to a charge of having on November 2.1 last stolen two cakes of soap, valued al: Is., the property of tho Palea Farmers' Company, Ltd. Detective-Sergeant Cox said that when a earuo of soap was landed at Patea from the Waverley last November it was found that three boxes of soap had been broached and nine calces of soan' were missing. Inquiries wero made, with the rrsult that accused admitted the theft of two of the cakre.

Mr. O'Loary said that had it not been for the candour of tho accused in admitting the offence no charge could possibly have been proved against him. Troun had picked up the two cakes, which fell out of a broken box. Tn view of the trivial value of the articles stolen and the. fact that the defendant had promptly admitted the offence, counsel suggested that tho Cou'rt micht waive its drastic rule of always sending a man to prison when he had been convicted of cargo broaching. "Notwithstanding resolutions of harbour boards, Your Worship might see fit to fine this man instead of sending him to gaol," suggested Mr. O'Learv. | His Worship.eaid a rule had 'been laid' down that wharf thieving mnst stop, otherwise the penalty would be exceedingly severe. "It is not that wo have any 's.et' on the watersider," be said. "No doubt there are just .as honest men among the watersider.? as there are in other walks of life. But opportunities for theft exist by the nature of the work. Tho Harbour Board has tho idea that wo do not go far enough.. I don't know whether I am expected to hang you, but the duty of deoiding what punishment is to be imposed on you is my duty, and I have to exercise that duty in accordance with my idea of what is right and proper, taking into consideration the circumstances of the offence. It is not my duty to be influenced by anything any outside body may say. Certainly it is quite right that I should consider any facts that, that, body might put before tho Court, but the facts as to tho seriousness of waterside pillaging aro known to the Court.'" In the present case, His Worship thought that he was justified in departing from the hard and fast rule of imprisonment. The amount involved was small, and defendant had been frank over tho whole thing. A fine of £5 was imposed.