LYTTELTON NEWS

Press, Volume LXXI, Issue 21391, 6 February 1935, Page 18

LYTTELTON NEWS

+ ACTION COMMENDED At the conclusion of.the hearing at the Magistrate's Court yesterday of charges against three French-Canad-ians who were convicted of various charges of drunkenness, theft, and assault, the chairman of the bench (Mr W. T. Lester, justice of the peace) said the bench wished to commend the action of the chief witness, Mr W. M. Herd. Mr Lester said that Mr Herd not only defended his employer's property, but he followed the men, and, although knocked down and kicked by two of them, again went in pursuit, capturing one man and handing him over to the police. It was a very plucky action. Watcrsiders Receive Retrospective Pay In common with those in other ports in New Zealand, waterside workers at Lyttelton are fortunate in having two pay-days this week. The regular pay-day is on Friday, but yesterday there was paid out to the men a retrospective increase of pay, equal to an average weekly pay. From an agreement between the New Zealand Waterside Workers' Federation and the various employers, the men last month received an increase of twopence an hour for ordinary cargo work, with proportionate increases for other than ordinary cargo. This increase was made retrospective from January 7 to September 27, and it was the extra money due to the men that was paid out yesterday. Magistrate's Court Because of an affray in the streets and on the waterfront on Monday afternoon, three French-Canadians, members of the crew of the steamer Pennyworth, appeared before Messrs W. T. Lester and T. Mahar, justices of the peace, at the Magistrate's Court yesterday morning, on various charges. The services of an interpreter, a member of the crew, were necessary. One man, a first offender for drunkenness, was convicted and fined 10s. Walter Lapointe, aged 24 years, was charged with assaulting William M. Herd, a shop assistant, and further, with stealing one bottle of bath salts and a tin of toilet powder, of a total value of 13s 6d, the property of D. E. L. Collett. He pleaded not guilty 1o the charge of theft, and guilty to the assault charge. Cyprien Selvail, aged 26 years, was charged with assaulting Herd, and also with assaulting Constable A. J. Buckley in the execution of his duty. He pleaded not guilty. A witness stated that the two men, with another, had entered Mr Collett's shop, and while the assistant's back was turned, had taken the articles. The assistant, Herd, had run after them down Oxford street, towards the waterfront. When passing the Post Office one of the men had thrown the tin of powder at him. As Herd stooped to pick up the tin one man knocked him down and the other kicked him. Herd then went for police assistance, and later caught the third man, who was charged with drunkenness only, and handed him over to the police. Constable Buckley had followed the two men down to the ship. As he attempted to climb the gangway, Selvail began to throw lumps of coal at him. One piece struck the constable on a leg. Further police reinforcements arrived and the ship was searched for the two men. They were eventually found hiding above the boilers, and arrested Selvail told the bench that he had thrown pieces of coal to scare the constable, not to hit him. Sergeant Wilson said the offences were serious and he asked for a severe penalty. Lapointe was convicted and fined £2 on the theft charge, and convicted of assaulting Herd and fined £2 10s. Selvail was convicted for assaulting Herd and fined £2 10s. "With regard to the assault on the constable," said the chairman of the bench, "this is a much more serious offence. Selvail will be convicted and fined £5." Default in each case was fixed at one month's imprisonment. Shops to Close To-morrow Most of the retail shops in Lyttelton will close all day to-morrow for the annual schools' and trades' picnic