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Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXVII, Issue 63, 14 July 1915, Page 7

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, t— ■, ■ —i. A FIREMAN FINED. Peu Press Associa ri”N. Auckland. July On the arrival of the steamer Caldergrove at Auckland from Philadelphia, the Customs officials, in making their usual search, came across six tins of opium and a tin of yon-shc, concealed above one ol the ship’s boilers. The opium was claimed by a Chinese fireman named Chan Eook, and ho was brought before Mr h. V. Eraser, S.M., this morning, on a charge of having had opium in his possession. Mr Ridings stated that the illegal importation of opium from ships that carried Chinese among the crew was gradually increasing. Recently, the Customs officials had found 460 tins in a ship that came to Auckland with empty bunkers. I sually, it was possible to find very little of the opium, but as flit' coal and cargo went down as the ships discharged at ports down tlie coast, the Chinese got at the hid-ing-places ol the opium, and ran the stuft 1 ashore. He felt quite sure that it would be found that opium would lie run from this ship at southern ports. The six tins of opium contained 30<v/i, and the ycn-she (seconds) Jo/,, the value being about £ls.

The ji ecu seel, through an interpreter, stated that lie was an inveterate opium eater, and had been so lar tho last twenty years. He needed tho opium for his own use, and he could not work without it.

The Interpreter; He telly me he cats and smokes about halt an ounce a dav, and ho would die without it. flic yeu-sho is tho opium cooked for eating. He got the opium from a Chinaman aboard a ship in an English port near America. His Worship remarked that ii accused had declared the opium he would not have been charged with any of-

fence. He must be fined £IOO, the minimum amount, which was reduced, under the special section, to £25,. with 22s fid costs.

Mr Hidings mentioned that accused had £27 of pay coming to him. and that if he did not pay his fine the captain of the ship would have to enter into a bond lor £2OO that the man would not be left here. The opium would he forfeited, but tho man would probably ho allowed to keep tho yen-she.