SEQUEL TO RIOT

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXII, Issue 192, 29 July 1932, Page 7

SEQUEL TO RIOT

TRIAL OF EDWARDS POLICE TESTIMONY. ACCUSED GIVES EVIDENCE. By Telegraph—Press Association. Auckland, July 29. The trial of James Henry Edwards on a charge of taking part in a riot < n April 14 was continued in the Supreme Court to-day. The jurymen were kept together last night. About 30 witnesses, mostly policemen gave evidence for the Crown, their evidence closely following that given in the Court and in the other riot cases. Detective-Sergeant Doyle said he had previous experience of riots, including the Lloyd George riot in Birmingham, but he never saw a more disorderly crowd than the one outside the Town Hall.

Counsel lor the defence said that the Crown, by skilfully presenting its evidence, had coloured the case against Edwards. Many weapons were exhibited in Court but there was no evidence that Edwards used any of them. The police made mistakes like other people and he intended to call evidence which would entirely disagree with much of the police testimony.

Edwards, who said he was married, with eight children, gave evidence that when walking in a procession to the Town Hall he called out “the usual working class slogans,” such as: “Shall we go into the slave camps?” or “Shall we fight for our wives and kids?” He had no intention of creating trouble. At the start of the riot he saw the crowd outside the main door break into a semi-circle, the police driving them back with batons. He ran along, intending to call upon the crowd to give no trouble, but was struck down.

THE LABOUR DEFENCE LEAGUE. Cross-examined, counsel said that he was a member of the Communist Party for about a year and gave three addresses. The Unemployed Workers’ movement regarded him as a leader. The Labour Defence League was composed of men in all walks of life, The league was for the legal and financial protection of “men m an unfortunate position, like myself.” Accused, when asked why he went into hiding after the riot, said he knew from experience that in times of trouble the police always looked for those they considered the leaders, particularly if they happened to be Communists. The Crown Prosecutor: But you had done nothing, you say. The accused; That is so, but 1 belonged tc a party that was not very popular with the police just theri. The accused admitted telling the crowd that if they were attacked they should crowd round the police and take the batons off them Other witnesses for the defence were then called. (Proceeding.)