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PERSONALITIES IN THE NEWS.

the unemployed, and, when the Town crowd away from the main doors, where Hall was reached, he could see that it the trouble was. Then we could have had

was full, eo he took his men round to Grey Avenue. Some of the men hammered at the doors nf the Town Hall, and he thought it wise to take them

away to a position in front of the balustrade, where they could hold their own meeting, ae they had done on the previous day. "When I got round to Queen Street I saw a scuffle in progress near the main doors of the Town Hail." added Edwards. "The crowd had spread out in a semicircle and it wiis my intention to get the crowd away from the police and to meet in front of the balustrade to hold an orderly meeting. Before I had time to say anything I got a crack from behind, and down I wont. I felt sick and shocked, and I said, 'That's tlic thanks I get for stopping trouble yesterday.' Advice to Crowd. "A woman appealed to me to do something, saying that the' crowd had gone mad. I was helped on to.the balustrade of the Town Hall. I told the crowd that the police started the trouble and not us. [ told them to crowd round the police, but not to use violence. I said, 'If there's to be violence, let it conic from them. If they crowd round you, take their batone off them, but don't use them.' Two ambulance men then took me away and attended to me. The reason I thought we should take part with the P. and T. nion in the procession was that it was a great opportunity to demonstrate to the people of New Zealand about the unemployed."

The- Crown Prosecutor: You arc a member of the Communist party?— Yes. but not a leader. You were in Wellington a few days before the riot? —Yes, at a conference. Norfolk Street Case. The clay before the arrest of thn men in connection with the Norfolk Street eviction case you were arrested. You were one of the speakers, and you were later convicted of inciting lawlessness? — Yes. Did you know there were over 20 wooden batons inside the house when the men were inside it?— No. You were taken to the hospital after you loft the Town Hall on the night of the riot?— Yes. I was there and I left after a constable came. Why?— Well, I reasiled that on such occasions when tliere is trouble, the leaders are always arrested. Do you dispute what the taxi-driver says when he said you told him he would be the safest man in Auckland because you were in his car?— Yes, I do. I never made such a etupid statement. When the taxi-driver took you to tho Town Hall crowd in his car, did you say to two men who approached you, "How are things going"?— No. What 1 did say was, "Are things all right now?" You did not stay at your home that night? —No, I vent somewhere else. The Crown Prosecutor: Where wae that? Edwajds (to the magistrate) : Do 1 have to answer that question? Mr. Hunt: I don't think so. No. Edwards said that he left his home at 2 o'clock in the morning. Ho did not go to bed, as he was too worried and sick. "Hooligans Spoiled It." Mr. Hunt: Your story is that you never did anything?— No. I wanted it. to bo the biggest demonstration in Auckland. The crowd of hooligans spoilt it, and by doing so did harm to our movement. If 1 had been allowed to speak I am sure I would have got the

a good meeting. You went home and then returned to tho Town Hall? —Yes, my wife wanted me to go to the doctor, but I wanted

to go back to the Town Hall to see if everything was all right. You never went into the crowd tlie second time?—Xo. I was only there once. The second time I stopped on the fringe of the crowd, and then went home early. Evidence that he saw a man with both his artiiis up was given by Albert Henry Dixon, secretary of the Furniture Trades Union. He could not say if the man was Edwards or not. He saw the crowd smash the doors of the Town Hall, and the police drew their batons. After that he saw Edwards speaking from the balustrade. There wa<3 blood on his face. Woman's Evidence. Enid Elizabeth Dnrie snkl she was in the Town Hall and came out when she hoard the police whistles. She heard Edwards say, "This is what I get for protecting the police yesterday. Tonight they baton me. I call on this rnase meeting to witness they are responsible for the trouble to-night." Just prior to making this remark Edwards said, "You have seen an unprovoked attack on the unemployed to-night." Witness thought Edwards was trying to draw the crowd away from Airedale Street. He was not in any way inciting, but wae trying to get the crowd away from trouble.

Cross-examined by the Crown Prosecutor, Miss Durio tsaid she had known Edwards for some months and that she recently attended a conference in Wellington with him. She was not a member of the Communiot party. She came from Australia, but never attended Communist meetings there. She had been twice to Communist headquarters in Newton Road.

Mr. Hunt: Did you hear him tell the crowd to crowd round the police and take- their batons, but not to use them ? —γ-es.

Mr. Hunt: How do you think he could keep the unemployed quiet by asking them to take the. batone from the police?

Similar evidence was given by two other witnesses. A student in history was then culled. He appenred to be reluctant to say what he had heard or seen, but eventually said that he heard Edwards say thnt his people had not started the trouble and that if the police used batone, the crowd should surround them and take them off them without brutality being used. Counsel: The trouble had started before Edwards said this?— Yes. Counsel: That's what the magistrate has been trying to find out for a long time.

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Permanent link to this item

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/AS19320613.2.94

Bibliographic details

Auckland Star, Volume LXIII, Issue 138, 13 June 1932, Page 8

Word Count
1,057

PERSONALITIES IN THE NEWS. Auckland Star, Volume LXIII, Issue 138, 13 June 1932, Page 8

PERSONALITIES IN THE NEWS. Auckland Star, Volume LXIII, Issue 138, 13 June 1932, Page 8