“BESETTING” CHARGE

Grey River Argus, 24 September 1932, Page 7

“BESETTING” CHARGE

MANAWATU RELIEF WORKS STRIKE. PALMERSTON NORTH. Sept. 23. John Harvey Blair, restaurantkeeper (four charges), Albert Lewis, labourer (one charge), appeared at the Magistrate’s Court, for allegedly besetting relief workers a few days ago. Lengthy evidence was heard in which the police stated that Blair’s shop contained Soviet literature, and in Lewis’s possession had been found a Communist membership card and badge. A witness said that Blair and a picket of 25 men visited the relict works, at one of which Blair addressed the workers, stating it was not understood the Unemployment Board policv was intended to include that married men should also go to camps. In the evidence in the charge against Lewis, it was stated he was the possessor of a camera with which he photographed men leaving for relief works. Lewis denied the photo-J graphs were for propaganda purposes. ] The defence was that the charges 1 wore laid under an English Act of 1825, under which picketing in a trade dispute was not unlawful. The Magistrate reserved his decision in all cases, bail being renewed. HASTINGS STRIKE. HASTINGS, September 22. The Hastings relief workers are likely to resume to-morrow, the difference regarding foreman AlcGill being settled this afternoon, by a decision not to force the men to work under him, if they object.