OPIUM FOUND

Hokitika Guardian, 4 November 1931, Page 6

OPIUM FOUND

‘ ON IMUJNEN SEAMAN. 7 A seaman named James ■ Shortell, aged 3-2, was fined £26- the minimumby Mr E. K. Hunt, S.M., in the ■Police . Court _A.uck.and,--bust week;on a charge of importing opium. He was found' asleep and drunk on Devonport wharf last vniglit* and when searched by, the police the;, Opium was discovered. , ...... Accused for whom Mr Alan Smvtlie appeared, pleaded guilty. ' J Detective Sergeant Kelly s id Shorted was one of the crew of a s. ip which arrived in Auckland a day or two ago. Last night lie was found asleep lying on a seat on the Devon port wharf. He was drunk and started to argue. On . this charge Sjhortell was, fined ten 'shillings. Mr Mclntosh, who prosecuted on the major charge on behalf of the Customs Department, said that when ■Shortell was searched after being arrested on the drunkeness charge, an Boz tin of opium was found on him. It was wortltf£2o. Accused had said that lie-did not intend to sell it. “Accused says that a member of the ;crcw of his ship was sentenced in Suva for smoking opium,” said Mr Smythe “There were, seven tins found bn the ship bv accus d, and he brought one of the tin s ashore last night to show some friends. He made no attempt to sell or dispose of the opium. He is prepared to hand over the other six tins immediately.” “You have no right to have,the opium in your possession,” ‘said the magistrate. “I know perfectly wM! the profit you sailormen mak' 1 on the stuff, and nobodv knows better* than vou that you should not havo.it on vou.” :