Second time round for Brown

E.L. Brown, the Civil Service runner, who won the Otago Five Miles Crosscountry Championship in 28min 4sec at Wingatui last year, succeeded in lowering his own record by winning this year’s race at Forbury on Saturday in 27min 38sec.

The Caversham Club again won the teams’ championship, thus retaining the coveted banner for the third year in succession. The sealed handicap was won by the Anglican No. 1 team, with Leith and Caversham Clubs equal second. Brown, the winner, although only a young runner, has already worthily represented the province. If his present form continues he will be hard to beat in the forthcoming New Zealand Championship. For the first time since 1905, when the championship was inaugurated, the race 

was held from a track commencing and ending at Forbury Park instead of Wingatui.

 

Although confronted with two opium pipes (one of which contained opium), a lamp, candle, and a tin also containing opium, which had been seized by detectives during a raid on his premises at 48 Carroll street, Joe Choy, the proprietor, pleaded complete ignorance at the City Police Court on Saturday, to the fact that opium-smoking had been carried on in his cook shop. Defendant said that he knew nothing of what had been going on, although before the detectives left his premises he offered them up to £30 to stay police proceedings. Defendant was charged that, being the occupier of premises situated at 48 Carroll street, he permitted or abetted the smoking of opium therein. The Magistrate (Mr J.R. Bartholomew SM), in declining to accept what he described as defendant’s "bland explanation," convicted and fined him £5, with costs (7 shillings). Mr J. McIntosh (Collector of Customs) prosecuted, and Mr B.S. Irwin appeared for the defendant, who pleaded not guilty. Mr Irwin submitted that there was no evidence to justify the conclusion that smoking had taken place, or, if it had, that the defendant had been aware of it. The premises were used as a boarding-house for Chinese, and the smoking utensils found might have been left by other Chinese. "It always seems to me that these places all smell the same, opium or no opium," added counsel. The Magistrate: "The onus is on you to disprove the charge. You have overlooked the warm fat, Mr Irwin." Counsel: "Oh, no. The candle may have been used for other purposes than purely for opium smoking. I still submit that no facts of actual smoking have been proved." Mr McIntosh to Detective Sneddon: "Was a bribe offered you?" Witness: "Yes; at first defendant offered us £5." The Magistrate: "What did he say?" Witness: "Defendant asked us to take £5 to square it now. Later he offered £10, then £20, and finally before the detectives left the premises the inducement was increased to £60." The detectives took the opium and smoking outfit, and told defendant to appear before the court the next day. Mr McIntosh: "The attic is rather a secret chamber, isn’t it?" Witness: "The stairs are very steep; and the attic is reached from the coalhouse only." The Magistrate pointed out that defendant had previously been warned. The present offence, said Mr Bartholomew, was not regarded as nearly so serious as one of being found in possession of opium. — ODT, 3.8.1925