BRICKS AND BOLTS

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 36, 12 February 1931, Page 6

BRICKS AND BOLTS

$« AUCKLAND RIOT

fcAWLESSNESS DEPRECATED

(By Telegraph.—Piesa Assooiidion.) AUCIvLAND, 11th February. While the stoiy of yesterday's riot L^as being told to Mr. W. H. WoodYard, S.M., tins morning a fair-sized 1 rrowd of unemployed surged round the Polite Court, and a posse of police, four mounted, ivas needed to keep, the crowd in ordor, Seven men and one I'Voman. were charged on various oountsj mostly with inditing lawlessness, and as the evidence was being heard there was frequent booing ±rom the crowd outside the Court, ' Largo numbers of people sat on the of Albert Park, and' many cori- ' tributed to the general demonstration. 'IVo other mon have been arrested in connection with yesterday Viio'tj makving ten in all.■;'•. '• The first Case heard was against Alfred; Fowler, aged 59, who answered eharges'-.of. obstructing a constable, be- ' haviiig'.'in a disorderly manner, and inciting and. encouraging lawlessness . and disorder, in va public place. He pleaded, riot guilty to all the counts. '; Detective-Sergeant Kelly gave a long ' description of yesterday's fracas. "It is unfortunate that1 the unemployed i are taking up this attitude of lawless,'ness," le said, "because what follows i such, scenes as were witnessed yester--1 day is nothing short of disastrous. In itho ease, of Powlcr his conduct was j largely responsible for the excitement ? and the state of the crowd." : "Some of them were armed, with brick's and bolts," said Constable (Janes; "When. Fowler was arrested the 'iriob .tried to free him, and we had to : fight onr way as best we could. I had ' ji 0 baton, and, as far as I know, the old man was not struck with a baton. INCITED THE BtEN. "I was commanding officer of/the procession,'? said "Patrick Quill, aa out-of-work engineer,' who wag" arrested this morning,.and who gaye _evidence ■- for the defence. , "I took the procession almost to' the-front of the Post Office '■ in, military formation;' then I dismissed, them. When a sergeant '."drew his baton the police _ rushed us. ;j ln my opinion -the-intention ~of the Ipolice wis to incite the meu. The whole police fdice charged. Qnill said that 6J per cent, of the unemployed were ex-service men. Mr. Kelly: "And what about the ; JLabour Defence Corps?" • ' Qiiill: "That body is to protect th« ' Hvorkers from, the attacks of thugs." ■_ "How long have you been in this" ; eonntry!"—"Two-years." 1' Are you a member of the Commun- ,: Jsfc Party?"—"No, nor do.I attend their r.meetings." " ' ' ■ For-obstructing :l the police Powlor was fined £2." The Magistrate conI eidered '^im. irresponsible;;, He.did hot ;. entice the mob but lost ■ Vis head. : ■ . ,■ .'■.'.; ; .'.■.■ After -evidence ha&: been heard , ( against Wjlliain John ,Dalgleish, aged 'iS2, he was convicted, sentence being i deferred. ! Percy Wilshere, agod 36, was also \- convicted of inciting and obstructing i police, and sentence was deferred. j A CLEAN BREAST OT IT. Charges, of throwing stones to the i ganger of persons, of inciting and enponraging lawlessness, and of behaving in a disorderly manner, were ' against George Johnston, aged tel. He pleaded guilty to throwing a stone. "You have made a clean breast of this, and you have expressed regret. There is that much in your favour," ' <jtaid the Magistrate. Johnston was ■fconvictcd and sentence was deferrod. Ernoßt Mathew Koiall, aged 22, was Also convicted on charges of inciting ' and behaving in a disorJ Jderly manner. He will be sentenced J "with the rest. I Harry Powell, aged 21, was convicted ! fend remanded until to-morrow on the ', Vihargo of obstructing a constable by > pulling at his tunic. Powell was also t-onvicted on charges of damaging a police helmet and obstructing Sergeant Olist. A constable described the acjsused as the ringleader and most I 'troublesotne of .ill. " -' 1 A. married woman, Violet Grace '! ißobinson, a domestic, "who admitted ! -hurling a brick through 3 -window of 1 ; *tho Labour Bureau Office, denied "inciting and behaving in a disorderly wayi j !Bho was eonvictod and ordered to come j -up for sentence-when called upon.