COMMUNISTS OUTBACK

Greymouth Evening Star, 14 November 1931, Page 7

COMMUNISTS OUTBACK

N.S.W. DISTRICT TERRORISED CITIZENS’ ARMY TO RESCUE /. [BY CABLE—PBE6B AB N. —COFYBIGHT.) < SYDNEY, November 13. . Sensational happenings concerning Communists are reported from a wayback western hamlet, Bourke, in the centre of w a rich pastoral district. A small party, of Communists, led by a man named Moxton, located there, making an inflammatory speech, intimidated graziers and townsfolk, declaring a revolution was imminent, and enlisting unemployed farm labourers in a Red Army. The local police were powerless, everybody being terrorised, and a climax was reached yesterday -when hundreds of farmers’ sons and citizens, led by a local doctor,, named Alcorn," formed themselves into t a citizens’ defence army, and marched on the ■Communists’ headquarters, armed withpalings and batons, and ordered Moxton and his companions, who have- been, living on the dole, to quit, arid gave them three days to, leave Bourke. The.Cdmmunists were armed with picks, shovels, hammers; -piricbs' of irdii pipe; and timber. Moxton appealed to the police to protect him, •. • Alcorn, acting as spokesman for the citizens, told Moxton he must leave by Sunday, or otherwise the citizens’ army would take forcible measures to that end. Alcorn: had difficulty in restraining his followers froin launching an 'immediate attack; The police appealed to the' crowd to do’nothing rash. Alcorn agreed, but sternly warned Moxton .that he must be out of the district in three days.

Alcorn stated to-driy that only the reading of the Riot Act by the local Sergeant prevented bloodshed, 1 blit said the Riot Act would not prevent bloodshed when the next clash occurred. •. " ' SYDNEY SENTENCES SYDNEY, November 13. Sixteen out of seventeen defendants tried for various offences arising out of the recent Bankstown eviction incidents were convicted to-day. Four were sentenced to one year’s imprisonment; one to eighteen months, two were bound over to be of good behavour,' and the, remainder-to nine and six months’ respectively. FEELING RUNNING HIGH ' SYDNEY, November 14. Anti-Communist feeling is running high in several country centres. One was run out at Tarcutta. At Dubbo where there are three hundred undesirables* the anti’s are ready, it is rumoured, to throw them into the river Macquarrle. The All for Australia Party in this State is to present a united front to the extremist forces at the forthcoming Federal and State elections. CANADIAN CONVICTIONS CONVICTED OF SEDITION. TORONTO, November 12. Eight members of the Canadian Communist Association were found guilty of being members of an unlawful Association, acting as members of such Association, and being parties to a seditious conspiracy. They.will be sentenced to-morrow.

The Crown Prosecutor asked tfiat a motion be made for the confiscation of the property of the Communist Party in Canada, and for the deportation of those deportable. MONEY FROM MOSCOW. TORONTO, November 12. Documentary evidence seized in a series of raids on the Communist headquarters played the major part in the conviction of the eight members of the Canadian .Communist Association, The evidence, according to the Crown, proved that the party was organised by means of'money sent from Moscow, that.it had as its alms and objects the overthrow of the Government and the existing social systems '• by force and violence, and that the party planned “at the right moment to imitate the example of their Bolshevist masters by forcibly seizing power in Canada, and by cutting down with bayonet and rifle all who opposed ■ them.” * SALUTARY PENALTIES. TORONTO, November 13. Seven infembers of the Communist Party of Canada were sentenced to terms of five years’ imprisonment on two counts, and two years’ on the third,, the sentences running concurrently, by Justice Wright, to-day. The eighth Communist was sentenced to two and one years’ concurrently. The ninth man. had previously been discharged, owing to lack of evidence. Four were recommended for deportation, and seven at the expiration of the sentences.

The Judge authorised the seizure of all property owned by the Communist Party of Canada. ■'