CUSTODY OF MAILS ON STEAMERS.

Globe, Volume XXI, Issue 1660, 16 June 1879, Page 3

CUSTODY OF MAILS ON STEAMERS.

AUCKLAND, June 15. The charge against Captain Carey, who was mulcted in £6B fine and costs, was stated by Mr Brookfield as follows ;—The charge is laid under the 28th section of the Post Office Act, 1858, for keeping a mail from Napier to Auckland insecurely. The mail in question, when landed, was tied but not sealed, and on being examined, registered letters (four) were found to be missing. One of these contained a draft for £3O, payable to A. Grant, Onehunga, and on the same morning as the Rotorua arrived this draft was cashed at the Union Bank, on the identification of Captain Carey, who signed the back of the draft to a man named Johnston, who had been acting as assistant cook on board the Rotorua. This man proved to have left in the Zealand ia for San Francisco. The fact however, of an employe on board the Rotorua cashing the draft shows that he had access to the mails during the voyage. Captain Carey, of course, did not know what he was signing, and thought tho draft was payable to the man Johnson. The case was brought against the Union Company, after repeated remonstrances in order to prevent mails being tampered with in future. Mr Brookfield said he had been instructed by the Post-master-General to press for a heavy fine, as this was not a (h irge against Captain Carey, but against the Union Steam Shipping Company, who had shown great neglect generally in not providing a proper place for the safe custody of mails. There were numerous instances of complaints being received from persons who had suffered loss in consequence of neglect on the vessels belonging to the company. The Court imposed a fine of £25, costs, and witnesses’ expenses, £43, in all£6B