Cairns Post, Saturday, December 10, 1938
TULLY, December 9.
Trembling and telling the Police Magistrate he was "very sick," Ye Quoung, an aged Chinese market gardener, pleaded guilty in the Tully Court today to a charge of having in his possession three tins containing charcoal opium.
Sergeant T. J. Quinn, prosecuting, related how in consequence of complaints, in company with Constable John Tapsall, on December 2 last, he had proceeded to the defendant's hut, situated three miles along the Tully Feluga road. As they entered the building they found defendant lying on his bunk and when questioned as to whether he had any opium in his possession he emphatically denied he had.
A search of the premises, however, revealed three tins of opium in a kerosene tin, defendant explaining the reason for its being there by saying, "Me eatem. Me very sick."
The defendant had been before the court on a similar charge on May 10 last, when he was fined £20, in default three months' imprisonment. Defendant was certainly in a bad way. Since the opium had been taken away from him defendant had remarked: "More better, old man now shoot himself." Apparently there was little difficulty in procuring the drug.
In reply to the Police Magistrate, defendant stated he had been in Australia 52 years.
The P.M.: Where you get that opium from?
Defendant (pointing to his left arm) : One-hand Chinaman at Innisfail.
The P.M. (to Sergeant Quinn) : Did he tell you that?
Sergeant Quinn: We know it.
Defendant was convicted and sentenced to six months' imprisonment in Stewart's Creek.
Only a fortnight ago another Chinese was sentenced similarly on a similar charge.