PENALTIES INCREASED.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21160, 18 April 1932, Page 10

PENALTIES INCREASED.

PUNISHMENT OF RIOTERS.

TWENTY-NINE MEN CHARGED.

TWO COUNTS OF INCITEMENT. ACCUSED DESCRIBED AS LEADERS. "The police ask that all those concerned in the disturbances of the past two evenings should be dealt with severely," said Sub-Inspector T. Gibson in the Police Court on Saturday, when 29 persons were charged with offences arising out of the rioting and looting. In some cases the maximum penalty, three months' imprisonment, was imposed by Mr. F. K. Hunt, S.M., who said he considered tho penalty was too light for some of the accused. He thought there should bo an amendment of the law to provide for such an emergency. Charges of inciting and taking part in an unlawful assembly were preferred against John Edwin Lark, leader of the unemployed movement in Auckland, and John Sharp, aged 36, described as another leader. Both men pleaded not guilty. On the application of the police accused were remanded to appear next Friday. When Lark applied for release on bail Mr. Gibson said tho police did not want any of the leaders bailed, at least until after tho trouble was over. The question whether tho men were bailable by right arose, and the magistrate fixed tho amount at £SOO. Stone Thrown at Police. "Two experienced police officers saw you throw a stone and I believe them," said Mr. Hunt, when Vincent Henry John Brown, aged 24, denied a charge of assault. Detective-Sergeants Doyle and O'Sullivan said they saw accused throw a missile at tho mounted force. He struggled violently when arrested. "1 gave these people the opportunity of a fine on the previous day, but I am not going to continue that policy," said the magistrate. Accused was sentenced to imprisonment for three months. Sentence of three months' imprisonment was imposed on Alfred Luke Donnelly, who admitted a. charge of mischief by breaking a window. Detective Hayes said accused had thrown a stone when 2ft. from the detective.

The evidence of two special constables was heard when Victor Hugh King, a.eed 44, appeared on a similar charge. The constables stated they saw accused throw the stone and later pointed him out to Chief-Detective Hammond. The police officer described finding a stone in accused's pocket. "The missiles were thrown from among crowds of respectable people, who covered up the stonethrowers," said Mr. Hammond. The penalty was again fixed afc three months imprisonment.

Hooting and Shouting. A charge of mischief by breaking a window was admitted by .Tames Francis Loft us who, it was stated, had been handed over to the police by a group of special constables. Sentence of three months' imprisonment was imposed. A piece of iron piping a foot long was found 011 John Fitton, aged 25, who was charged with throwing a missile and tohaving in a disorderly manner. Detectives stated they saw accused throw a missile and they kept him under observation until they arersted him. Accused was fined £lO, in default two months imprisonment. "The conduct of this man was very bad," said detectives who gave evidence when John Leonard Whitten was charged with disorderly behaviour. It was stated accused was with five other men of a similar type, hooting and shouting. The penalty was fixed at £5, in default one month's imprisonment. Warning to Citizens.

A warning to citizens not to carry weapons unless they were enrolled as special constables was gi%'en when two youths were charged with being in possession of unlawful weapons. "The youths were found in the crowd, one with a bludgeon and the other with a tyro lever," said Mr. Gibson. "They stated they had come to the city to be enrolled as special constables, but the police had to arrest them." The charges were dismissed after evidence was given by a constable who knew the accused. "This man was a kind of non-com-batant," said counsel for Harry John Miller, aged 18, who was charged with behaving in a disorderly manner in Myers Park. The charge against a companion, aged 16, was referred to the Children's Court. A detective said accused and his companion were arrested when they were returning through St. Kevins Arcade after filling their pockets with stones in Myers Park. The disturbance in Karangahape Road was then at its height.

"The supply was coming from Myers Park, and the police consider that the youths' conduct was disorderly," said Mr. Gibson.

A fine of £5, in default one month's imprisonment, was imposed. Cases Adjourned.

"The police sergeant who arrested this man is now suffering fj'om a hit on the head," said Mr. Gibson, when Martin Holland Cairns, aged 50, was charged with using insulting language. Accused was remanded to appear next. Friday. On two charges of theift, arising out of the looting on Thursday night, John Lewis Hurrell, aged 20, was remanded until Friday. An adjournment until Friday was granted in the cases against the following : —Edmund Henry Eayers, aged 30; Sydney Cole, Robert Black, aged 51, all charged with inciting; Ilarry Pascoe, Patrick Gallagher, Michael O'Hara, William Thomas Payne, William James French, Charles Treanor, aged 22, and John Francis McGrath, aged 42, all charged with taking part in an unlawful assembly; Arthur Francis Sturt, aged 35, charged with unlawful assembly and throwing a missile; Francis Henry Hawkin, charged with mischief by breaking a window; and Nigel Vincent Cato, aged 24, charged with mischief and theft. On a charge of causing mischief by breaking a window, Robert Hall, aged 49, was remanded to appear to-day, bail being fixed at £250. WRONG CHARGE STATED. In the report of (ho Police Court proceedings in Saturday's Herald arising out of Thursday's disturbance it was slated that Edmund George Essory had been fined £5, in default one month's imprisonment, on a charge of theft from shops. Tho charge, against Essory was of behaving in a disorderly manner, the inclusion of his naino among those convicted of theft, being due to an error, which wo regret.

£SOO BAIL PROVIDED. RELEASE OK ONE ACCUSED. Bail was found during tho week-end for Lark, who was cliarg in the Police Court oil Saturday. Larl who was remanded to appear next " idny, was released from Mount Eden « rison when five persons came forward with sureties amounting to £SOO, the amount, at which bail was fixed by Mr. 7 K. Hunt, S.AJ.