Six Months' Gaol for Dunedin Riot Leader

Manawatu Times, Volume LV, Issue 6839, 21 April 1932, Page 6

Six Months' Gaol for Dunedin Riot Leader

Three Months for Others “THE ONLY POSSIBLE PENALTY” Per Press Association. DUNEDIN, Last Night. As an aftermath of the recent unemployed demonstrations and baton charge by the police in St. Andrew street on April I], charges of inciting lawlessness were heard against eight men in the Police Court to-day, while two men were charged with encouraging disorder. Mr. Bartholomew was on the bench and .Sub-inspector D. Cameron prosecuted. The eight accused were represented by counsel.

William Ronald Wintou (aged 26), a New Zealander, was charged with inciting lawlessness on April LI ; Arthur Waters (2S), a New Zealander, was charged with inciting lawlessness on April S and with wilfully breaking a pane of glass valued at I7s in the window of the New Zealand Government building in >St. Andrew street; Robert John Eady (26), a New Zealander, was charged with inciting lawlessness on April 1.1; and Win. Foote (30), an Australian, was similarly charged. Four charges were preferred against Leonard Daiton Hunter; three wen for inciting lawlessness on April S, 11 and 12 and tho fourth was of encouraging disorder on April 9. Ho was described as a New Zealander, 26 years of age. Harry MacDonald (30), an Englishman, was charged with inciting lawlessness on April 11; Michael O’Burke (28), a Scotsman, was charged with inciting lawlessness on April 11 and with encouraging disorder on April S anil 9; and Arthur Eric Proctor (29), an Englishman, was charged with inciting lawlessness on April 11.

Evidence was given by several members of the police i’orei of occurrences leading up to tho baton charge, and when the Court resumed this afternoon counsel for the defence intimated that all accused with the exception of Waters decided to alter their picas to guilty. Consequently the remaining police evidence led was directed agnmst Waters only. Tho Magistral said the charges

arose out of events entirely unprecedented in the history of the city. There had been manifestations of disorder and iawlosr.nec.. extending over three days, culminating on Monday, April 11, in a direct outbreak of mob violence which, if not promptly checked, would have developed into something much more serious, in it resided all the elements of an incipient riot of the most alarming proportions and had it not been for the stedfastness and promptness of the police in saving the situation, anything might have happened. There was only one penalty that could be imposed in such cases and that was imprisonment. All the accused on charges of inciting lawlessness would be sentenced to three months’ imprisonment.

Hunter would be sentenced to a month’s imprisonment each on two additional charges, the s ntenccs to be concurrent. On the fourth charge, however, which concerned his speech in the gardens on the day following the clash with the police ho would be sentenced to an additional three months cumulative to his other sentences and making a total term of six months’ imprisonment.

Waters was sentenced to an additional month’s imprisonment on a charge of breaking a window, the sentences to bo concurrent. O’Rorkc also received additional concurrent penalties of one month on each charge preferred against him.

Delicate Situation in Wellington SAFELY HANDLED BY POLICE Per Press Association. WELLINGTON, Last Night. Although a meeting of relief workers to have been held in the Trades hall this evening was postponed by the convenors because tho numbers expected were too large to bo accommodated, about 500 men assembled. The situation for a time was delicate, but a strong party of police under Inspector Lander cleared and closed the hall. The leaders of tho crowd urged that a street procession be formed, but this too was abandoned, on tho advice of the police, and the crowd dispersed quietly.