CIGARETTES GIVEN TO PRISONER

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 93, 6 May 1937, Page 6

CIGARETTES GIVEN TO PRISONER

Opium Also Contained In Packet CH1NESE FINED Convicted of delivering to a prisoner 1 at the Napier Gaol a quantity of cigarettes, a Chinese market gardener, Charles Ark Hoo, was fined £3 with 10/- costs by Mr J. Miller, S.M., in the Napier Magistrate 's Court this morning. The prdsecution stated' that a small quantity of opium, enougb for two or three pipesful,' was also contained in the carton of cigarettes, but the Bench accepted accussd.'s statement that he was unaware of its presence. A warning regarding the serious nature of the offence was delivered by the Magistrate. "This offence as looked upon very seriously by the Prisons Department," said Detectivg-Sergeant H. Nuttal1, ' ' and outsiders are able to hand any•thing to a prisoner at a gaol, particularly at Napier where some of the prisoners work in* the gardens and around the warders' houses. "Accused approached a Maori pTisoner in the garden and asked him to taka the cigarettes to a f riend who went to gaol after being fined £50 by your Worship the other day," said the poliee officer. "The breacli came to the uotice of tho prison officials, and following inquiries Detective K. W. Mills aceosted accused at Meeanee.- He admittei. that he had lived with accused at Meeanee and has f ound the cigarettes in a loft they had been using. He decided to do him a good turn and bring them to his friend, but he absolutely denies any knowledge that there was opium with them." The sergeant produced the packet, with a small quantity of opium wrapped inside. However, as there was no dtiect evidence on the charge of being in the possession of prepared opium, the police were willing to withdraw it in face' of accused 's plea" of not guilty. The Bench: Is there much - .of this done? Detective-Sergeant Nuttall:. There is always trouble of this sort in all gaols. Often when' the prisoners are searehed after work, it is found that they are in possession of * cigarettes, tobacco and cther artiqles they should n,ot have. The seriousness of the position is that it is possible to Land over poison, or explosives, or any other articles that inay do an immense amount of harm. "I will give you the benefit of the doubt about the opium," said the Magistrate to accused, ' ' and I' wili accept your explanation that you did not know that the opium was inside. The qffence against tlie prison regulation is a very serious one, but I think that "this ds the first case for some time."