RIOTERS IN COURT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21159, 16 April 1932, Page 10

RIOTERS IN COURT.

FORTY-FIVK CHARGED.

looting and other counts. imprisonment and fines, strong guard provided. Formidable pickets, comprised of police officers, special constables, marines and naval trainees, were employed as guards on the thoroughfares leading to the Police Court, Kitchener Street, when 45 men and youths appeared yesterday on charges arising out of the riot in Queen Street on Thursday evening. During the hearing of the cases by Mr. F. K. Hunt, S.M., a crowd of upward of 1000 gathered in Albert Park, opposite the Court. and made mild demonstrations when the prisoners were removed in police vans. In one case, people lining Bowen Avenue, leading from Kitchener Street to Prince's Street, threw small stories at a police van.

Precautions against anything resembling a recurrence of the rioting of the previous evening were taken by the polite. At the foot of Courthouse Lane, bordering on Chancery Street, naval ratings and policemen were strung in a line. Passage [.ast the cordon was only possible 'bv proof of legitimate business. Similar cordons were established in Kitchener Street to prevent any possible intei feience or the assembly of partisans, and a a strong naval guard was posted in Albeit Park.

In the Courthouse itself, there was a comparatively small gallery, most of those present being police and relatives of the accused. No feeling was displayed, and all the legal proceedings were carried out in an orderly fashion. 1" a number of casss where loot.ng m Queen Street was confessed, the magistrate imposed fines of £5, in default, one month s imprisonment, although higher penalties were also inflicted. Many of the cases were adjourned for a week, the remands being in custody. An Alleged Leader.

'•This man was one of the leaders of the unemployed at the demonstration last even.ng," stated Sub-Inspector 'J'. Gibson, when George Devereaux was charged with assaulting Constable James du Temple while the officer was in the execution of his duty. Air. Gibson added that it was alleged that Devereaux had hit the constable on the head with a stick. At tbe request of the police, a remand in custody until Apr.l 22 was granted. A sentence of imprisonment for s.x months was imposed on Royal Desmond Capncr, who pleaded guilty to the theft of two packets of tablets, a woman s watch, a clock, six rings, a cigarette lighter and other articles to the total value of £lO, the property of persons unknown. Mr. Gibson said Caprier was one of those who had stolen from shops in Queen Street, and the accused had a long list of offences. In imposing the sentence, the magistrate said he had not hern able to follow a similar course in regard to other offenders because the police knew nothing against them. A remand until April 22 was granted when George Joseph S'.lva, aged 32. labourer, of England, pleaded not gi'dtv to charges of assaulting Constable Wll- - Cook and Detective R. C. Whitehead, of taking part in an unlawful assembly which had begun to disturb the • peace, and inciting lawlessness. . In asking for the remand and making an objection to bail, Mr. Gibson said two police officers were dangerously ill in the Auckland Hospital, and more serious charges might be raised.

Arrest Resisted. "This man was one of the principals in the riot," stated Detective-Sergeant McHugh, giving evidence against Leonard Roberts, who was charged with stealing five cigars find a bottle of whisky, the property of persons unknown. Roberts admitted the theft of the cigars. Mr. McHugh said Roberts was one of those who had been engaged in looting shop windows. Witness had been required, with the assistance of Detective Brady, to pull the accused from out of a window. Roberts had kicked and punched witness, and made, appeals to the crowd for assistance. Witness added that the mob had been kept, back under the threat of a gun. •"Out of 12 we arrested. Roberts was the worst, and was about to take other goods," witness added. Roberts was sentenced lo imprisonment for three months.

Said by the police to have been engaged as a- special constable and to have committed thefts during -the evening, a Maori, Edward H'.iia I oron, pleaded guiltv to stealing clothing and a ring valued at £4, and not guilty to being idle and disorderly, in that be was found by night armed with a .22 calibre repeating rifle and a bludgeon.

Mr. Gibson said Toroa was acting as a constable and was carrying a rifle and a baton. The police would not offer any evidence regarding the carrying of arms, Mr. Gibson added, in explaining that the accused had taken articles from shops. Toroa. was fined 115, in default imprisonment for a month. "Gone to Several Shops." "To have collected all these goods this man must have gone to two or three shops," remarked the magistrate, when William Thompson, a middle-aged man, pleaded guilty to a charge of stealing a bottle of whisky, three watches, three bracelets, three ear-rings and a string of beads, estimated to be valued at £4, the property of persons unknown. Mr. Gibson said Thompson was much older than the other accused. A fine of £lO, in default, three months' imprisonment, was imposed.

A 'Maori, William Harding, who was stated by the police to have hinted three shops, was also fined £lO, with the alternative of three months in prison. He admitted the theft of an overcoat, a hat, a bottle of brandy, 10 cigars and a bottle of vanishing cream, of a total value of £4. A similar penalty was imposed on Joseph Ryan, who pleaded guilty to two charges "f looting, the stolen articles, which were valued at £5, including clothing, a medal, and bottles of brandy, whisky and cocktail. ( I tits of taking part in an unlawful assembly which had lirpun to disturb the peace were preform! against the follow-ing:-Mate Diagovich, AUktl William Searles, .John William Mc('orkindale. Simeon Elari. Leo Martinovich, Harold Robertson, John Hubert Edwards, Clifford John Hudson and John W T illiam Simpson. Mc('orkindale, who was described by Mr. Gibson as being one of the men who had been seen to break shop windows, was also charged with throwing a stone to the danger of Constable C. Rowley and with stealing a tin of tobacco, the property of an unknown person. On the application of Mr. Gibson, all were remanded in custody for a week. Smaller Fines for Theft.

Fines of £5 each, in default one month's imprisonment, for lliel't from shops, were imposed 011 the following perrons:—Patrick Joseph O'Doran, Robert Murray. Clarence Ivan Kemvorlliy, John Francis Davis, Leonard Ronsley, Joseph Henry Silver, Andrew Henderson Woods, Keith Condon ILellicr, Douglas William Harp, Miro Lidovic. (leorge Tait, Arthur Claude l\iss, Edmund George Essory, Robert Ilowartli, Allan I><?rry, Martin Smith, (leorge William Croul and an Indian, Moirar Harry.

Three youths, who pleaded guilty to John Lauranec O'Brien, Leslie I lit key and Nicola Nigra, were convicted and ordered to coino up for sentence if called upon within six months.

'There is a probability ol more serious charges in the case of this man," said Mr. Gibson, in obtaining a remand until April 22, when John Reirl was charged with stealing goods valued at 15s from a tobacconist's shop. lieid pleaded guilty and was remanded for sentence. The police seated that further inquiries would he marie; in the case of Clarence August who pleaded guilty to stealing miscellaneous articles valued at £3. August was remanded for sentence and another accused, Malcolm Thomas Edwards, who admitted the theft of jewellery and other articles valued at £lO, was similarly remanded. Edwards pleaded not guilty to a further charge of theft of goods valued at £3.

George Edward Porter, pleading not* guilty to assaulting Peter Fraser McCornbie, special constable, and taking part in an unlawful assembly, and William Andrei! and Albert Maisliall, who pleaded not guilty to charges of theft, were remanded to appear on April 22. A 16-years-old boy, whose name was suppressed, was remanded to appear in the Children's Court on two charges of stealing goods valued at £2 10k.