A Human Derelict.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 90, 7 April 1914, Page 5

A Human Derelict.

CHINESE CREATES SCENE.

INTERPRETERS' DAY OUT. Wild and incoherent protest?, and a tornado of biting, kicking, and scratching signalised the arrival of Ah Yen, an aged Chinaman, into the Dunedin City Police Court on Friday. The accused, a piratical-looking person, with long, matted ha-r, ragged clothing, and big bare feet, was hoisted into the dock by two constables, and crouched there sullenly while the charge—one of being an idle and disorderly person, having insufficient lawful moans of support—was read to him ( tates the Otago Daily Times). Two interpreters, a Chinaman who spoke his own language well and English, more or less, and a white man, who spoke English fluently and seemed, to know a good bit about the euphonious Asiatic dialect, collaborated in explaining the accused's delinquency to him. The latter, however, would have none of them, and hurled unintelligible objurgations at all and sundry. Sub-inspector Fouhy said that the accused had been found on Thursday at Anderson Bay, going about barefooted,

With Sores all Over Him.

'and in a very filthy condition. He was trying to get into a shed there, in order to have a sleep. Constable Rings was called, and found the man on the Beach road, with his belongings, which he carried in two sugarbags. The constable told him to go away, but the Chinaman refused, and, a dray coming along, the constable hoisted him into it, and had him drivon to the police station. There he maintained a stubborn silence. His outburst on being taken to the Court was the first demonstration of any kind that he had made. He had been at Waipori, and had 9s in his possession, but he was unfit to take care of himself.

The white interpreter made strenuous attempts to get some statement from the accused, but was unsuccssful, the latter

Drowning all Attempts at conversation in an insistent and angry monologue. Then, after a short conference between the two linguists, they apparently succeeded in arriving at a suitable form of address, and after their next attempt, they announced that Ah Yen according to his own statement, was not guilty.

Constable Rings, who was then called, said he had been informed that the accused had been trying to get into a shed at Anderson Bay. The constable went to the spot and found the accused, who refused to go away. His arms and legs were covered with sores, and he was in a dreadfully filthy .condition. The subsequent events were as narrated by the subinspector.

The interpreters had another conference, and Mr Bartholomew, S.M., impatiently told them to try to get some statement from the accused.

"Ask Him what he Does," he ordered.

The interpreters then secured a great quantity of Chinese language from the accused, and this they boiled down and rendered into brief English. Ah Yen, it appears, had left Waipori op Monday week, and landed in Dunedin on Saturday. He wanted to get work. The accused punctuated the efforts of his interlocutors by lifting up his bare feet, one after the other, over the edge of the dock, and talking volubly to the magistrate in his own tongue. Then he grew stubborn, and announced, through the interpreters, that ho would tell nothing more. •

He had nowhere to go to, and he would not go to any of the Chinamen's places.

"He says he is afraid they will poison him," explained an 'nterpreter. "I do not think he is quite right in his head. If he had not a shilling in his pocket, there are plenty of Chinamen who would take him in and give him something."

The accused created a diversion at this stage by raising up his voice and singing a weird Chinese slogan in a cracked voice. He was remanded for a week for medical observation.