COMMUNIST BOOKS

Grey River Argus, 27 April 1932, Page 5

COMMUNIST BOOKS

SIX MONTHS’ GAOL For Two Aucklanders (Per Press Association). AUCKLAND. April 26. Pleas of not guilty were entered by Gordon Harvey Dale, aged 25, a seaman, and Edward Stanley Hamilton, aged 21, a bootmaker, when charged in the Police Court with causing to be brought into New Zealand six copies of a book entitled “The R.LL.U. Magazine, ’’ which advised lawlessness. There was a further charge of smuggling into New Zealand three copies of the book “Revolutionary Programme,” fifty copies of the book “The Tasks of Red Trade Unions and the Minority Movement,” and other books. This charge was not proceeded with. The former charge was brought by the police under the War Regulations Continuance Act, 1920. which prohibits the importation of literature likely to j result in strife and lawlessness, and r the smuggling charge wa s laid by the. j Customs Department. A Customs official, Leonard Joseph Williamson, said he first saw accused on the deck of the steamer “Marama” just after the arrival of the vessel from Sydney on April 12. As far as witness could see, the accused had no parcels in their possession, but a short time later they left the ship’ carrying five bundles. Witness examined these parcels, and found them to contain Communistic publications. Dale explained to the witness that he had received the papers from Wellington four days previously, and that h e intended to sell some of them to seamen on the “Marama.” He and his companion had not travelled by the “Marama,” but had boarded the vessel at the wharf. Witness subsequently handed the papers, which appeared to be in their original wrappings, to the police

A number of witnesses gave evidence.

“I am satisfied that these men went on board tho ship after her arrival from Sydney, and go r these books to take ashore,” remarked the Magistrate. “I look upon it as a very serious matter indeed. The distribution of this sort of literature leads to disturbances such as we have recently had in our city streets.” Each accused wa s sentenced to six months’ imprisonment. Au order for the confiscation of the books was made by the Magistrate. In view of the fact that the accused had been convicted on the police prose, cut ion, counsel for the Customs Department Said he d d not wish to press the smuggling charge, which was withdraw n COMMUNIST'S SPEECH PREVENTED. CHRISTCHURCH, April 26. There wer e scenes of mild excitement in Victoria Square, Christchurch, for a brief period yesterday, when a s-e'f-acclaimed Communist. C. F. Riley, in a n attempt to make a speech after the Anzac Day parade had passed, found himself prevented from mount ing a soap box, by the police. Finally he was taken forcibly in hand by friends, and driven away in a taxi. At on e time a crowd of two thousand surged round, but nothing untoward occurred, though Riley struggled hard to escape th e grip of friends, kicking and protesting.