DEMANDED £10.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 269, 12 November 1937, Page 12

DEMANDED £10.

"PROTECTION" MONEY.

ALLEGATIONS IN COURT. COMMUNIST ORGANISER. SYDNEY, November 4. Allegations that he had demanded money for "protection" from a baker were made apainst a prisoner in Court. It was stated that the prisoner told the baker that the money would ensure protection against a campaign which had alreudy lost the baker customers. Kdward John Kice, organiser and inspector of the Bakinj; Trade Employees' Federation (Sydney branch) was committed for trial on a charge of having demanded money l>y menace with intent to steal. Rice, who is also western organiser of the Communist party, pleaded not guilty and reserved his defence. According to police evidence. Detective Turner and a constable hid behind a jtartition in the baker's shop while Rice took £10 from the taker. When they questioned him, after he left the shop, he rail away, and put the two live-pound note* in his mouth and attempted to swallow them. Fin jcti Bitten. In trying to get the notes from , his mouth, Constable Haskew had has fingers so badly bitten that he needed hospital treatment. Two bloodstained £5 notes were indicated in court as notes taken from Rice's mouth. Detective Turner said that on October 15 he took the numbers of the notes at the shop of H. J. Clint, baker. He concealed himself with Constable Haskew behind a three-ply partition. Rice entered the shop and told Clint that £10 was "the price, because the risk is too great." Clint said. the evidence continued, "You're pretty tough, you know, putting .this on me. Tenners don't grow on the tops of gum trees." Clint asked what guarantee he had that Rice would not prosecute him, and Rice replied that he was not silly enough to give a written guarantee, but he could have his verbal assurance. "If you want protection, you'll have to pay for it." Rice said. Constable Haskew said that he heard Rice telephoning at the police station, saying he had taken a bribe from Clint. Baker's Evidence. Hector J. Clint, baker, said that Rice told him a couple of months ago that a certain master baker had offerprl him £15 to institute a campaign against Clint. Asked by Clint what the campaign was to be. Rice replied that it was to be a boycott of the shops where Clint was doinjf retail trade. On October 14 Rice came to his. shop and mentioned "a matter of a tenner," adding, "What will it cost you if I prosecute under the Day Baking Act?" Clint said he then got in touch with the police.