STREET OBSTRUCTION.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIV, Issue 4, 5 January 1903, Page 5

STREET OBSTRUCTION.

RICHARDSON AGAIN BEFORE THE

COURT.

CASE DISMISSED

(Before Mr W. R. Haselden, 531.)

At the Police Court this morning William Richardson Was charged that on November loth, at Auckland, he did conduct a public meeting in Victoria-street, so as to impede persons passing in suclj street. Sub-Inspector Black prosecuted, and Mr Richardson conducted his own defence. When the case was first called some time ago, defendant objected to Mr Hutchison, S.M., hearing it, and it was adjourned. It was further adjourned on defendant's application, when defendant was in gaol on warrant for non-payment of a fine. Defendant pleaded not guilty.

Constable Shaw deposed that he was on duty in Queen-street on 15th November. Defendant was in Vic-toria-street East, opposite the Central Hotel, addressing- a crowd of fully 250 people at half-past eight in the evening. An obstruction was caused by the crowd, which extended from inside the footpath to the cabstand. Witness went up to defendant, and asked him to move, and he replied that there was no law r in the colony to make him shift. He said the police should be going round the hotels instead of bothering him. Defendant's address was the cause of the people being there. There was no room for vehicles to pass between the crowd and the cab-stand, but there was room inside the stand. Mr Richardson cross-examined the witness at some length as to a cab which witness said came down Vic-toria-street, and could not get past owing to the crowd. He asked the witness to get him memory in order, a remark which drew a remonstrance from the Bench. Mr Richardson assured the Bench that he did not mean to be insolent. After some further questions witness said he did not arrange for the cab to come down. Mr Richardsoi? then asked witness how it was that he (defendant) was summoned while other people who addressed public meetings were not. Witness said he did not know. The real reason that the proceedings were taken was that the street was blocked. Defendant: "Were you instructed by anyone above you to watch Mr Richardson's meetings?" Witness: "No, I received no instructions whatever." Defendant: "Then you acted entirely on your own initiative?" : Witness: "Yes." Defendant at this point said his meeting was an advertised political meeting. Defendant: "Are you an abstainer?" Witness: "No." ...-'-.-' ■•>■- Defendant: "Don't you think that policemen should be abstainers?" His Worship objected, to these questions, and defendant replied thai he might show that the police might work in the interest of publicans. Defendant continued to osk somewhat similar questions to this, but His Worship again objected, and after a short argument Mr Richardson continued his cross-examination of the witness. After a while defendant asked witness if he knew that High-street was blocked by a drunken crowd the day after the election. His Worship again interfered, and reminded Mr Richardson that he was in charge of the Court, and that Mr Richardson had to obey him. Defendant: "No, sir."

His Worship: "You are not going to make questions the occasion for temperance speeches. I am not going to let you or any other man use this Court for oratorical purposes." Defendant then asked witness whether the Salvation Army did not take up as mtich room in the street as he himself. Witness said they did not. Constable McGorman corroborated the evidence of Constable Shaw. Defendant proceded to question witness as to whether he was an abstainer or not, and how often he drank, and whether he knew whether policemen could get drunk at breweries, but His Worship told the witness not to answer. Defendant persisted, but His Worship still refused to let the questions be answered, and said: "You are doing all you can to be convicted." Continuing, witness said that the meeting was an orderly one. The : cab came down slowly through the crowd. The footpath was blocked, and there Avere about three or four hundred people present. : Defendant: "Have you any bias against me?" Witness: "None whatever." Defendant: "Have you any knowledge that I am regarded in the department as an obnoxious sort of individual, who ought to be shifted out of the city?" The Avitness said he had no such knowledg-e. Mr Richardson proceeded to ask whether witness knew if the police could go round to a certain brewery and get beer. His Worship told witness not to answer, and that it was part of his training to undergo- such questions in the witness-box. Witness, continuing, said he did not know Avhy the issuing of th<; summons was delayed until after the election. Walter Montgomery, cab driver, said he was on the stand at Victoriastreet on the evening in question. He drove down Victoria-street to go to the Anchor Hotel, and was blocked by the crowd. He forced his way through at a walking pace. Defendant was standing some five or six yards from the pavement. Charles Bestian gave evidence in support of the charge. Cross-examined, witness deniei making an offensive remark about defendant. He was not biassed against defendant. Sub-Inspector Black said that he had two more witnesses for the prosecution, but His Worship said that they Avere not necessary. Defendant then asked His Worship to dismiss the case, and began to m«Ve some remarks to His Worship,

who ordered him to sit down. Defendant continued, and His Worship said, "Compel that man to sit down." Raising his voice, His Worship then said, "The case will be dismissed. I am not going to be provoked into a wrongful conviction of a man simply. by his intemperate conduct of Ma own case." .