IMMIGRATION LAW

Evening Post, Volume CXXVII, Issue 2, 4 January 1939, Page 5

IMMIGRATION LAW

AND UNDESIRABLES

VIEW OF MAGISTRATE

Commenting that it was a great pity that the immigration laws permitted the entry into New Zealand of undesirable characters, Mr. J. H. Luxford. S.M., in the Magistrate's Court yesterday said that undoubtedly a number of Australian criminals left the Commonwealth before the periodic holiday "cleaning-up" by the police. James Andrews, aged 37, a labourer, pleaded not guilty to having insufficient lawful means of support. The police stated that the accused arrived from Australia on December 12, and first came under the notice of the police on December 30. A man who said he had £50 in his possession in a city hotel complained that he had missed it after he had been to the lavatory at the same time as Andrews. Andrews was searched, but had only a shilling on him. A friend with whom Andrews was staying in Wellington said he had paid £2 10s for two weeks' board.

Detective-Sergeant P. Doyle said that the accused had been charged in the name of Andrews, but the police had since learned that that was not his real name. He had so many aliases that his proper name could not be given. Andrews, in the witness box, said Andrews was his real name.

Detective-Sergeant Doyle: If it is your correct name, why haven't you used it before?

Andrews: Because it is my correct name. This time I didn't think I would get into trouble.

! The accused agreed that he knew the methods of the Australian police, but said he did not know that there was a "cleaning-up" of suspected persons bej fore the holiday periods. Detective-Ser-Igeant Doyle said it was significant that Andrews's previous trip to the Dominion was just before the holidays last Easter. | The detective examined Andrews's hands, and said they did not appear as if they had done any labouring work for the past twelve months. Andrews replied that he had been in hospital with appendicitis for six months, and had been told to do no work for about five months. Detective-Sergeant Doyle: I put it to you that you did not come here to work—you came here to pick pockets. Andrews: I don't pick pockets—l can't pick pockets. "Why can't you?" "Why can't I? Because I'd be found out. I suppose if I could pick pockets and get away with it I wouldn't need to work. I'm not a pickpocket." The Magistrate said it was a great pity that the immigration laws permitted the entry of undesirable persons. Andrews had a very bad record and came into the category of a suspected person. A number of Australian criminals who were moved on by the police in Sydney came to New Zealand, but when a man was being boarded and had been in the country only a fortnight or three weeks he could not be convicted for not having sufficient lawful means of support.

Detective-Sergeant Doyle said there had been an influx of criminals from Australia in the past few weeks, and some of them had been apprehended. The charge was dismissed.