STOWAWAY CHARGED

Evening Star, Issue 19789, 13 February 1928, Page 2

STOWAWAY CHARGED

STRANDED IN WELLINGTON Stranded in Wellington without clothes or money, and with his clothes and papers in Dunedin, Thomas Morris decided to take the easiest method of reaching the Otago capital, and accord' ingly stowed away on the steamer Corinua, a proceeding which eventually led to his appearance at the Police Court this morning charged with secreting himself at Wellington on or about February 10 aboard the vessel without the permission of the master or some other person in authority. The accused entered a plea of guilty, Sergeant Turner stating that according to the accused ho had been unemployed for seven months. He stowed away on the Corinna, and was discovered shortly afterwards, being handed over to the police on arrival of the steamer at Dunedin.

“ I missed my own ship, which belongs to the same company,” said Morris, “through a slight accident, and as my clothes and papers were in Dunedin I had to get here somehow.” He added that he was left in Wellington strandal, and . could not do anything without clothes and papers. Sergeant Turner; “There have been a number of complaints lately of men stowing away from port to port.” The Magistrate (Mr J. R. Bartholomew, S.M.): “Tills man seems to think that he had a right to be on board as be missed a boat belonging to the same company.” The accused said he had worked for the company for twenty-eight years, and three days’ pay was owing to him.

The accused was convicted and discharged, the Magistrate stating that the company could dock the fare from the money owing to the accused.