360
і
accommodation of the Stowaways; the Coolie-brokers
on shore who house and ship them off, and the bigger
men behind the latter, (if we can get them),
who
are the mainsprings of the fraud and certainly the
most guilty of this whole band of "aiders and abet-
tors." We would suggest that a more fitting penal-
ty for an offence of any magnitude should be impris-
omment for a maximum of two years without option of
a fine.
(Signed)
We have &c.,
Butterfield and Swire,
Agents, China Navigation Company, Limited.
Another Stowaway Case,
There was another stowaway case at the Magistracy to-day. The steamer Kacei- yany Messrs. Butterfield and Swire), com- manded by Captain G. Hooker, left Hong- kong for Hoilo on the 10th March last and reached her distination four days later. Concealed in the quartermasters' cabin
were three stowaways (Fokien men) and owing to the close attentions of the Jus toms officials it was found impossible to Jand thom. One of the quarter-masters endeavoured to obtain the connivance of I one of the Customs inspectors by offering him a bribe of twenty dollars, Captain Hooker was at once communicated with and the quarter-master was ordered to pro- duce the stowaways which he did. The Customs authorities took the Captain to task over the matter and gave him the alternative of leaving a bond of $1,000 a fine of $150 and sending the quarter- master she had been foolish enough to offer the bribe on shore to be dealt with, or paying a fine of $150 and taking the Quartermaster with him. Captain Hocker chose the lat. rey course.and, having discharged his Iloilo cargo steamed to Chefon. On reaching this port the quarter-waster in question desert. ( ed the ship and thus escaped the punish- ment which awaited him in Hongkong. When the ship returned to Hongkong the three remaining quarter-meters and the three stowaways were passed over to the Police. They were all tried before Mr Haseland to-day, Mr G. C. C. Master, solicitor, prosecuting on behalf of the owners, The Police had quite a novel experience in that the stowaways gave them every asintones in the prosecution of the quarter-masters, with the result that his Worship found the latter guilty of aiding and abetting and sentenced them to pay a Sue of $500 each, or suffer six mouthe' i prisonment. The stowaways were ordered to pay $150 each or suffer two months int guol.
AUD - JUN 1902
THE Expert Poker is not a game of chance. In fact, there is no such thing as chance. The Novice--I guess that's right as far as I'm concertied,"
BEFORE MR. F. A. HAZELAND (POLICE MAGISTRATE). EO'D - JUN 1902
MCHE STOWAWAYS.
The stowaway evil is still occupying the at- tention of the police anthorities, and the latest case is one which occurred on board Messrs. Butterfield & Swire's steamer Kwei Yang, tand- ing between this port and the Philippines. On 10th March the vessel sailed for Iloilo, which it reached on the 14th of the same month. Here it was discovered that there were on board three coolies for whom pessages had not been taken out, and the way in which this interesting fact was brought to light was very simple. The four quartermasters, it appeared, bad secreted the stowaways in their cabin, expecting doubtless to land them at Iloilo without any difficulty. This expectation was knocked on the head through the vigilance of the Customs authorities at Iloilo, and when the quarterioasters realised that their plan had miscarried and that the coolies were of likely to be left on their hands, thom attempted to bribe a Customs official with 820 to let the coolies ashore. The master of the vessel, Mr. G. Hooker, was commnuicated with and gives the option of paying a fine of $150 and taking the quarter- master in question with him, or depositing 81,00 and allowing him to be taken ashore and dealt with by American law. Captain Hooker chose the former alternative, and retained the quartermaster's services, but at Chefoo, the steamer's next port of call, be deserted. On her arrival here the three remaining quartermasters were arrested, along with the three stowaways, and charged with aiding and abetting them to obtain surreptitious passages by the Kwei Yang, Mr. G. C. C. Master prosecuted on behalf of Messrs. Butter- field & Swire, and the quartermasters were sach flued $500, or six months' imprisonment. The stowaways got off with the lighter penalty of $150 each or two months in gaol.