BOXING Vagrancy Charge Against Ron Richards Dismissed in N.S.W.

Grey River Argus, 20 May 1947, Page 6

BOXING Vagrancy Charge Against Ron Richards Dismissed in N.S.W.

(Rec. 5.0.). SYDNEY, May 19. Looking much improved in health, Ron Richards, aged thirly-six, a former Australian middle-weight boxing champion, appeared on remand in the Central Court to-day, when a charge of vagrancy against him was dismissed. He received medical attention during the remand, and will leave for Queensland to-night. The police prosecutor said that. Hie Aborigines Protection Board had made arrangements for Richards, who was the native of Queensland, to return there, and that the Queensland Government was paying his expenses. On the understanding that these arrangements would be carried out, the police withdrew the charge against Richards.

GREY LABOUR PAPER BOARD, APPEAL IS IT WORTH WHILE ? With the “Argus” running as it is . to-day—an up-to-date provincial daily newspaper some may think that it should go on as it is without any further capital being invested. Those who think that way are not aware that buildings crumble and the best-kept machinery wears out. These things have to be replaced; and the main difficulty is that this has to be done at a time when building and machinery costs are at a premium. If we do not do something we will soon be without a home or machinery to print with and, therefore be forced to go out of business. If this happens there will be great joy in the camps of our industrial and political enemies. Hence we have to ask ourselves is it worth while to keep going. Looking back over the years that the “Argus” has been conducted as a Labour paper we can remember the days when economic pressure was ever at the workers’ elbow —the fear of unemployment, sickness, death. The days when Jim O’Brien, Paddy Webb and Bob Semple were interviewing members of the Unemployment Board asking that the coal miners on the West Coast be given an extra day on the dole at 9s or 12s per day because they were only working one to two days a week. The days when the old age pension was 15s 9d pei’ week and the family allowance was 2s per week for the third child under fifteen years of age (and that was only, paid if the father did not earn more than £3 5s a week). These conditions were abolished. Not because the tories or employers had a softening of the heart. No, they were wiped out because men were determined to work and fight for better conditions. Working men who talked on street corners and halls in union meetings or wherever they could get an audience. Men who started Labour dailies and weekly newspapers—all for one object, the emancipation of the workers. Look at the conditions around you to-day and ask yourselves is it worth while to carry on the organisations that brought about the change for the better or on the other hand go to sleep and let the tories put you back to where you were twelve or thirteen years ago. Yours fraternally, JAS. O’BRIEN, President. J. B. KENT, Secretary. (3) F. L. Turley, Organiser