MIDNIGHT MARAUDERS.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 3109, 6 February 1909, Page 5

MIDNIGHT MARAUDERS.

RAID ON A CHINESE GARDEN. 1 - TWO ACCUSED BEFORE THE court. ; I ' A SALUTARY LESSON. Two men, named James Chisholm and Sydney Worner, stood in the dock at the Masterton Police Court yesterday morning jointly charged with the theft of vegetables, valued at ss, from a garden the property of Wong Moy and Chong Loy. Both accused were unrepresented by counsel. They elected to be dealt with summarily and pleaded not ; guilty, Worner was also charged with throwing stones in a public place—namely, Akura Road, to die danger of passers-by. To this a plea of not guilty was also entered. Chong Loy, garden proprietor at AKura, said lately he had been losing vegetables from his garden at night, and a watch was decided to be kept.' The barking of the dogs on the place last night caused investigation to be, made, and two horses were found to be tethered on the Akura Road. Two men were then discovered in the' garden, and the night being bright moonlight, witness was able to identify the accused as the men. All the Chinese on the premise were aroused. The accused were then on the fence with a bag of vegetables. On being asked what they were doing, there they replied "nothing much." One of the accused then struck witness on the hand, while the other went away with one of the horses. The other horse was seized by witness, who refused to give it up to the i accused, who remained. The latter then declared he had a revolver ard would shoot witness, pretending to draw one. The police were meanwhile sent for, and the horse was detained until their arrival. Accused Worner commenced to throw stones at the Chinese gathered "round, in an attempt to rescue his horse. No one was hit, hovever. The vegetables produced in Court were similar m variety to those taken from the gar-' den. Ah Em gave corroborative evidence. Constable Dunn said that he was? given information of the theft, and at once proceeded # to the gardens. Passing down Lincoln Road he met , the accused ne ir the railway station. They were v questioned about their movements, and/gave unsatisfactory answers.. Tney said they had heard a row near the Chinese gardens, and complied witft,a request to go back with witness tb the gardens. There the Chinese at once recognised accused, and they were taken into custody. The accused, after the police evidence, altered their ,plea of "Not Guilty''to one of "Guilty." Sergt. Miller said that accused had previously been before the Court on a charge of kicking at the back door of a Chinese shop in Queen Street, wherein was a Chinee woman, who was greatly alarmed. They were then fined £2. Another more serious charge laid at the same time was then withdrawn. The Sergt. urged that a salutary sentence be imoosed, orchard and garden robbing was bacoming a serious matter in the community The Magistrate agreed that there was altogether too much thieving of the kind contained in the charge going on in Masterton at the present time. Those who were occupied in. the reprehensible practice gave little thought as to circumstances of i the people they were robbing, and hard-working, industrious persons, who were little, able to bear the losses caused by the thefts, were vary often the ones who suffered. Tlie fact that the informants were Chinese made no difference to the gravity of the charge, as the Chinese were inlustrious and iawi abiding subjects, who were deserving i of protection to the same extent as j white people. Interfering with Chineae seemed to bt a habit. with the accused, and a sentenqe of three J monthb' imprisonment would be imj posed on each.