ECHO OF RAILWAY STRIKE.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 18101, 17 June 1924, Page 8

ECHO OF RAILWAY STRIKE.

GUARD FINED FOR USING INSULTING LANGUAGE.

(PBESS ASSOCIATION TELEGBAM.) WANGANUI, June 16. An echo of the recent railway strike was heard-at the Magistrate's Court to-day, when Charles Downey, a guard, was charged with insulting language on the Kai-Iwi station platform on April 24th, with intent to provoke a breach of the peace. Evidence showed that when the skeleton service train reached Kai-Iwi a group of men were on the platform. Downey remarked to Inspector Mirams that he would not be a "—— scab." The traffic inspector replied: "I will get, off and you get on the train." Defendant replied, again using the word "scab." Defendant said he merely asked in a friendly way how the inspector liked his job, and when the latter offered to let him run the train he said he' would not be a "scab." The Magistrate said he was satisfied that the charge had been proved. Defendant was foolish to have used the expression. A fine of £2 10s with £1 14s costs was imposed, in default'l4 days' imprisonment. \ It was stated in-evidence that defendant had twenty years' unblemished record of service.