"RED" LITERATURE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIII, Issue 98, 27 April 1932, Page 8

"RED" LITERATURE.

CHARGE OF SMUGGLING.

COMMUNISTS SENT TO GAOL.

Charges of smuggling three copies of a book entitled "Revolutionary Programme," and 50 copies of "The Tools of the Red Trades Unions and Minority Movement," and other books, on April 12, were brought against Gordon Harvey Dale, aged 25, a seaman, and Edward Stanley Hamilton, 21, bootmaker, before Mr. F. K. Hunt, S.M., at the Police Court yesterday afternoon. Both accused were further charged, on the same date, with causing to be brought into New Zealand six copies of the "Red International Labour Unions' Magazine," a book which advised lawlessness.

Accused pleaded not guilty. Gordon Harvey Dale, one of the accused, said he was a seaman in the Makura ten months ago. He had not worked since. While standing at the corner of Quay Street on April 12 he was asked if he would deliver a parcel to No. 63, Newton Road.

Mr. Hunt: Who gave you the parcel? Accused: I am not prepared to say. I am charged with smuggling, not with theft.

Continuing, accused said he was given the parcel of books and then went down the wharf and boarded the Marama, as he knew many of the men on the ship and wished to send messages by them to friends of his in Dunedin. When leaving the ship and walking down the gangway he was accosted by the Customs' officer. Accused was carrying the books under his arm and when asked where he got them, accused said he had received them from Wellington. "I have never been out of the country to bring anything in," said accused. "My companion is entirely innocent in the matter. He was simply holding them for me." Mr. Hunt said he would convict. "It is the same old story that I have heard for years, except that instead of getting the stuff from a man in Queen Street, whose name he doesn't know, he got it from a man he does know, but whose name he refuses to give." His Worship added that he was satisfied the accused did not have the literature when they went on board the ship. "I look on it as a very serious matter, indeed," said the magistrate. "The distribution of this 6ort of literature leads to disturbances such as we had in our city streets. Valuable property was destroyed on that occasion." Both were sentenced to six months' imprisonment, and the literature was ordered to be confiscated.

The second charge was withdrawn,