IN POSSESSION OF OPIUM

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 104, 19 May 1937, Page 4

IN POSSESSION OF OPIUM

Chinese Actually Smoking It When Police Arrive COURT IMP0SES £25 F1NE Exhibiting to the Court an iutricate hocne-made sinoking outfit which, it wai contended, had been used for opiumsmokihg, Detective-Sergeant L. Eevel prosecuted at the Hastings Magistrate's Court this morning when Ah Win g (Mr. S. Morrison), a market-gar-den labourer, of Pakowhai, appeared before Mr. J. Miller, S.M., on a charg® of being found in possession of prepayed opium, The police officer said that a raid was mgda in the evening and that a quantity of opium and paraphernalia ready for opium-smoking were" seized. The defendant was actually smoking when the police arrived. He was 43 years of age and had been in New Zealand about 16 years. "He had the roocn specially fitted up," said the officer, "but I believe him when he says thdt he had not been smoking opium for very long," c * For the defendant, Mr. Morriion said that he reeendy purchased a property at Pakowhai and had found the paraphernalia there when he took it over. The opium he was using was secondclass stxxff*. His Worship said that there was no evidence of trading, and the minimum penalty of £25 was imposed, Defendant was allowed two months to pay the fine, but is to Teport once a week to the police in the meantime.