"SUPINE CONDUCT"

Evening Post, Volume LXXXVII, Issue 29, 4 February 1914, Page 8

"SUPINE CONDUCT"

AUTHORITIES CRITICISED THE NOVEMBER RIOT. CHIEF JUSTIcI-S STRICTURES. Comment was made by the Chief Justice in the Supreme Court to-day on the way the autliorities responsible for law and order handled the Featherston-street riots on sth November. _ During _ the hearing of a charge of part in a riot that was preferred against a waterside worker, the foreman of the jury asked the Crown why had not the evidence of the arresting constables been brought forward On behalf of the Crown, Mr. P. S. K. Macassey explained that the arrested men had got "mixed up" at the Lambton Police Station, and owing to the general confusion and excitement prevailing at the time they were not now able to identify all those whom they had arrested. Referring to the matter at' a later stage, the Chief ' Justice remarked that the case for the Crown had been prepared in a very slipshod manner, though he did not blame counsel for the Crown. If the case had been properly prepared the evidence of the arresting special constables would surely have been called. Criminal business must be properly conducted. The fact that there was excitement and trouble on the day in question was no excuse for the supine conduct of those responsible for the safety of the city. "I don't know," he added, "who is to blame." In this connection he mentioned that there were cases where the Magistrate of the town had actually been indicted for not doing his duty. Where stones were thrown and human life was in danger some far more serious steps should have been taken in the interests of public safety. It may have been that the police authorities thought that they had not a sufficient force. Nevertheless the whole thing seemed to have been managed in a very slipshod way. Instead k of five or six arrests fifty to sixty should have been made. In the case under notice only one witness had been brought forward to show that the accused threw a stone. Not even the arresting "specials" were placed in the witnessbox. That was- not the proper way to conduct criminal business. Incidentally, his Honour remarked that the "specials" seemed to have been exceedingly forbearing—far more than would be the case in many other countries.