CHINAMEN’S CARDENS.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2315, 7 October 1908, Page 2

CHINAMEN’S CARDENS.

WORKING ON SUNDAYS. A CONVICTION RECORDED. Aii unusual case was hoard at the Magistrate 1 !) Court yesterday, when Ching Poo, a Chinese gardener, was charged with having, on Sunday, September 27, followed his trade or occupation as a gardener. Mr. K. 11. Mann appeared for the defendant, who pleaded “not guilty,” and Sergt. Hutton conducted the prosecution . AV. Tan acted as interpreter. Detective Rawle said that at 12.30 p.in. on Sunday, September 27, while coming from Mangapapa, he saw tiefondant enijiloyed in his garden at the corner of Aberdeen Road and Disraeli Street. He went to the hospital for the purpose of ma'lcing enquiries, and on coining back defendant was still working. Defendant was building up mould round tomato plants, and had a hoe with him. AViliiess told defendant who he was, and asked him if ho knew ho was breaking the law, and defendant replied “Me-don’t know.” Witness told defendant that he would probably he prosecuted. John George Clark, jeweller, said he met Detective Rawle on Sunday, September 27 at the Chinaman’s garden. He did not see defendant working at all. He knew defendant as a purveyor of vegetables, but did not know him as a market gardener. Willie Tan, laundryman, gave evidence that the defendant followed the occupation of a gardener. Mr. Mann addressed the Court, and pleaded Chat although the man'admitted he was working in the garden, the works were those of necessity . Ching Poo, the defendant, said he had been living in- Gisborne for 13 years. He remembered the detective coming to his garden, and said that at the time he was putting soil around a box containing some tomato plants. He was doing nothing else. To Sergt. Hutton: He was using a little garden hoe. His Worship said he thought t-lie defendant had brought himself within the law. He would take into consideration the fact of the defendant being an alien, and impose a penalty of 2s 6d without costs. To a second charge of having transacted business, by selling vegetables on the same day, Mr. Mann, for the defendant, entered a plea that he strongly felt the Europeans who patronised the defendant were just as much to blame as ho was. He asked for a lenient sentence.

His Worship concurred with counsel’s views and again imposed a penalty of 2s 6d without costs.