TIMBER STRIKE.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLIX, Issue 236, 4 September 1929, Page 7

TIMBER STRIKE.

* CONSPIRACY. CHARGES,

UNION OFFICIALS FOR TRIAL,

SYDNEY, Sept. 3. Seven union officials charged with conspiracy to molest and intimidate free labourers in the timber industry, whoso cases have occupied the Police Court for a fortnight, were to-day committed for trial.

The defendants are Charles Reeves, a bricklayer, aged 52; John Smith Garden,. secretary to the Labour Council, aged 48 ; Alichael Ryan, organiser, aged 34 ; William Terry, organiser, aged 42 ; Edward Patou, organiser, aged 24; John Culbert, secretary, aged 38; John Kavanagh, organiser, aged 50. All denied the allegations, Garden in particular declaring that on no occasion had he uttered the vile adjectives attributed to him in evidence.

With dramatic suddenness on the afternoon of July 22 the Sydney police arrested seven prominent leaders of the timber strike on chargee of conspiracy arising out of the previous week’s mass picketing. The coup came as a bolt from the blue, and sot the Trades Hall agog. Tho conspiracy charges were laid upon information sworn by Inspector Alack ay, who was present during demonstrations outside Hudson’6 yards at Glebe. They set out that accused had conspired with other persons unknown (1) to prevent, by violence or threats, timber workers from following their lawful occupations; (2) to molest and intimidate the workmen of George Hudson, Limited, and so force them to leave their employment, to the detriment of their employers; (3) to riotously assemble persons to atsault tho workmen at Hudson’s. Kavanagh was further charged with having an unlicensed revolver. It was alleged that the police found file revolver when they arrested him at his home.