DEMONSTRATORS CHARGED

Hokitika Guardian, 19 January 1932, Page 6

DEMONSTRATORS CHARGED

SEVERAL SENTENCED

(By Telegraph—Per Press Association)

iDUNEDTN, January 19

The case against the leaders of the unemployed demonstration on Saturday week wa,s concluded this morning, when Mr Buttle S.M. sentenced Eric Wharton Braithwafte, t(Dthree months and four men, Francis O’Rourke, Norman Lee, William Foote, and Willian Ballantyne to one month each. Lawrence o‘Ro’ui’ke a.nd George Jones were convicted' ’and ordered to come up for sentence if called on within 12 months.

MAGISTRATE’S COMMENT

DUNEDIN, January 19.

The Magistrate said that defendants’ account was directly opposed to that of the police. It was always unpleasant to deal with cases arising from the misfortunes of the unemployed, and it was unnecessary to say that there must be sympathy for the large body of men whose position was due to no fault of their own, but to economic conditions.

However, they must also consider that there was a. definite law to be preserved, and be found defendants to have been guilty of. not an isolated act, but a concerted attempt to use the mass of men, suffering under a. sense of grievance, for the purpose of breaking the law. They did it definitely and intentionally, and it would bo entirely subversive to all law and order, if acts of the accused were allowed to go unpunished.