"LIKE'PADDY'S GUN"'

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 24, 23 October 1920, Page 8

"LIKE'PADDY'S GUN"'

1 AFFAIRS ON LYTTELTON WATEEFRONT. By TelfarftDh-l'rcna Association. Christchurch, October 21 At, flio Lytlclton Magistrate's Court,' before Mr. S. E. .H'Carthy, .S.M., a fireman on tho steamer Leitriin was charged with stealing ,a carcass Of lamb, value' at 305., the property of the Fcderasteam Navigation Company Accused pleaded guilcj. Senior-Sergeant D. Jackson said Hie more he saw of these cases the more ho dopl/jred the deplorable state of affairs on the waterfront. Accused stole tho carcass yesterday, and was caught „ by the cliicf officer going- down below with it. No ono scorned to know where he got it, nor did anyono appear- to care. . Yesterday, at tho sitting of the Court, they had the manager of a large company as a witness in a cose of alleged theft of coal, and he had said that lie thought tho chief engineer of the vessel would have tho right to.give other people's properly away. "T can enly say this," continued tho senior sergeant, "that I have come to this conclusion: That the management of the Lylfelfoou waterfront is like 'Paddy's gnu'—it wants a Jiew lock, stock, and barrel. It is astonishing that, men can take stuff from' tho side of a ship, and only by the purest of accidents be caught. '.ikinsr it down to the forecastle. When tho heads S>f firms come here and say cuch things as that, you can little wonder at firemen, committing thefts." ' In giving judgment, the Magistrate said: "Wo had'a case yesterday iiiMiieh .. tho 6ame. company's property was concerned, and the evidence of the'localmanager was that a chief engineer would have a right, should bo feel- so disposed, to give three tons of coal away.- Three tons of coal is worth £12 in Lyttelton, and we are to assume that a servant of the Federal Line had Authority to disnose of it. When that evidence is »given in open Court, it is little wonder that 'small fry' on a ship commit theft. However. I cannot overlook this theft. I shall convict accused, and sentence him to three months' imprisonment, with hard labour."