CRIMES AND OFFENCES

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXXVII, Issue 9125, 22 October 1917, Page 5

CRIMES AND OFFENCES

"A DANGER TO THE COM-

MUNITY,"

WELLINGTON, October 20

A Swede by birth, but British by naturalisation, Charles J. Johnson appeare4,in the Magistrate's Conrfc this niorning, before Mr S. E. McCarthy, S.M., to answer two charges, one of theft of a pair of boots, the property ol: some person unknown, and the other of procuring possession of certain prohibited pubh'eations," to wit, throe copies of the ''International Socialist Review," three copies of "Pi-, rfct Action," and four, uopies of, Ross's "Monthly Magazine," contrary to tin' War Regulations.

Accused pleaded not guilty to the Hiargo of theft, but guilty J.o the other charge.

I Chief-Detective Boddam «tate*l that i accused lived at'Rosen eat h. T.n coiKsequonce of information rwpived by the police, Detective-Sergeants Andrews and Rawle visited » neighbour's house, and took possession of a bag, which had been deposited there some two days earlier, and which , acctisecl admitted to be his. The bag contained an enormous amo.uut of I.W.W. literature, in addition to the publications mentioned in the information.'Accused was a Swede, and naturalised. Ho worked on the wharf. He had previously been convicted of theft, and, in 1913, of avssaulting a special constable. He took a prominent part in thp 1913 strike. ''I say with tlw> greatest confidence," said the Chief--1 Detective, ■ "that this man. i« a danger^ io the community " Acouf-ed asked to be lei oil wait a lino

The Magistrate "Oh, lun t M joii off with a fine in uhe«.f condiLionl- ' Accused was sentenred to V 2 months nnpiihonment with haid Libnm

The charge oi thefr \rav with diann.