EGGS AND STONES.

Gisborne Times, Volume XLIX, Issue 4814, 11 March 1918, Page 6

EGGS AND STONES.

SEQUEL TO REV. HOWARD ELLIOTT’S' ADDRESS. MAGISTRATE’S COURT PROCEEDING. There was a sequel at the Magistrate’s Court on Saturday morning to certain incidents which took place after a public meeting addressed by the Rev. Howard Elliott on the night of February 22, when a window in the residence ol : the Rev. J. Carlisle was broken and when also stale ’eggs were thrown. Four youths, Frederick Williams, John Henley, Rupert Muldoon and John Fitzmauriee, were charged with on February 22nd throwing eggs to the damage of property. Each youth pleaded guilty to the charge. Detective McLeod, who appeared for the police, stated that on the evening in question Rev. Howard Elliott addressed a meeting in Gisborne, leaving the hall by car. While the car was standing on East’s corner the accused arrived and started pelting it with eggs. The accused were sons of respectable parents, and,when questioned, admitted their guilt. Detective McLeod said he thought that others were implicated and that these hoys were carrying the guilt on their shoulders.

When asked for an explanation, the accused had nothing to say. The Magistrate, Mr W. A. Barton, S.M., declared that such larrikinism could not be tolerated. If the remarks of the lecturer had not met with their approval, they could have shown their disapproval in a more manly way. It was evident that the attempt was premeditated, for it was hardly likely that eggs could he found on the spur of the moment. He would take into consideration the fact that the accused had admitted their guilt and had not given the police any trouble. They would each be convicted and fined 10s and 7s costs, in default 48 hours’ imprisonment.

There was a second charge against the youths, that of wilfully destroying a pane of glass valued at 14s in a dwelling occupied by the Rev. J. Carlisle. The accused pleaded guilty to this charge also. It was stated by Detective McLeod that this incident took place after the egg-throwing. Two pieces of road metal were thrown through a sitting-room window. The Magistrate described this as a more serious offence. They did not know the extent of the damage done by throwing a stone through a window, and they, might have been placed, in the dock on a more serious charge. In this case he deemed it his duty to impose a more substantial penalty. He fined eacli accused £2 and added 7s costs, and they were each ordered to pay their share of repairing the damage. The default was fixed at seven days’ imprisonment. He hoped that this would be a lesson to them. It was senseless conduct, and if they. appeared before him again he would have to take into consideration their past behaDetective McLeod said that another lad, a juvenile, who was at present in Auckland, would share m paying the damages. _