PREFERRED GAOL

Auckland Star, Volume LXXII, Issue 170, 21 July 1941, Page 2

PREFERRED GAOL

JOURNALIST IN COURT

DETECTIVES QUESTIONED

SYDNEY, July 12

The Prime Minister, Mr. Menzies, two former Federal Ministers, Messrs. Thorby and Cameron, Mrs. Adela Pankhurst Walsh, of the Guild of Empire, and the well-known shipowner, Captain Patrick, and his wife were declared by Harry Gould in Paddington Police Court to be potential Fifth Columnists. Gould (41), a journalist, and five other men were, charged with having Held a meeting in the Bondi School of Arts for the purpose of advocating unlawful doctrines. Two of the men were remanded and three accepted bonds to observe the National Security Regulations for the duration of the war. Gould refused to do so and went to gaol for 40 days.

Detective-Sergeant Townsend, of the Military Police Intelligence, said that when he went into the meeting Gould had notes of a tennis meeting. Witness told him some of them were known as Communists, and he was satisfied it was not a tennis meeting. Gould told the Court the meeting was one of hundreds of similar study meetings held by workers. The pretext of the tennis club was to provide protection against raids under Fascistlike laws. Gould subjected Townsend' to a remarkable cross-examination, of which the following are the highlights:—

Have I ever received a medal from Hitler?—l don't know.

Do you know that a former Premier of this State, Sir Bertram Stevens (now Australian representative on the Delhi Supply Council accepted a medal from the monster Hitler?—l have heard of that.

Have you ever raided his house?— I have not, and I don't think I should.

Do you know that Mr. Menzies in the past has boosted Hitler?—l don't know.

Are you aware that Mr Menzies has forced workers of this country to send war materials to our actual and potential enemies?—l don't know.

Did you ever hear me denounce the welcome given to von Luckner, the Nazi spy?—l don't remember that.

Are you aware that the Federal Attorney-General. Mr. Hughes, has declared the right of workers to advocate socialism?—l don't know.

Gould asked another detective who went to the meeting with Townsend: Did I ever advocate sending scrapiron to Japan?—l couldn't say.

Do you know that the Government of this country has forced workers to send scrap iron to Japan?—l don't know.