HANDCUFFS AND BOOTS IN LYTTELTON

NZ Truth, Issue 1200, 29 November 1928, Page 9

HANDCUFFS AND BOOTS IN LYTTELTON

Police and Unemployed Seamen Clash In One of The Ugliest Brawls Seen In Port For Many Years SAID THEY WOULD DO THREE MONTHS FOR ANY POLICEMAN

TN comparison with •*■. other seaports, -where the cosmo- v politan element | which follows the | seafaring life un-. 1 failingly leaves the | door open to Indus- = trial strife, Lyttel- | ton has been sur- | prisingly free from 1 trouble, th ! ough'| old-timers still take | (pleasure In recall- = ing thrilling and § exciting incidents | connected with the Mumiiiimimimummi uiiiiiiuiii history of the port. For some time past, however, Lyttelton has been simmering 1 m a state of industrial uncertainty through the action of , an unorganized group of seamen, the leader of whom, it is alleged, has cost one shipping company some thousands of pounds through his activities resulting m the delaying, or tying- up of ships, especially those engaged m the coastal trade. Matters culminated last Saturday week m a serious clash between the police and jkhree of the unemployed seamen and it develop- . ed into one of the ugliest brawls experienced m the history of the port Shortly after five o'clock m the evening, Constables S. W. Mcßurney and J. E. J.Anderson had their attention attracted by a crowd which had congregated outside the Lyttelton Hotel and as they , approached a little closer they saw a man whom they recognized as John Henry Harris, a young seaman, engaged m a street flght with a person unknown. According to the story given by the constables the crowd raised a cry of "Police!" and Harris made off into the hotel, while others who were subsequently implicated m the offences, mingled with the crowd.

The constables followed him up to his room (he was a .bdarder at the hotel) and found' his door locked. While they were demanding admission another seaman, John James Porter, pushed past the constables and induced Harris to unlock the door. Harris denied that He' had been out of his room, but was placed under arrest, while Porter protested Harris' innocence and ignorance of the whole affair. '.-.. ' A- third seaman named Reylands then joined the issue and a fight ensued m which the : constables got much the worst of the bout. Porter struck Anderson on the jaw and floored him /and the three seamen made off and mingled with the crowd. i, . - Meanwhile, a. message had been sent to, the police station for reinforcements, but when Mcßurney and Anderson were passing the Saxon Hotel on the way to the station to make out warrants, Porter endeavored tb incite the crowd to "Give the a go," but no one m the crowd interfered. Anderson was practically helplegs, arid m defending him from an onslaught by Harris, who wanted to continue the fracas, Mcßurney drew his handcuffs and struck Harris on the head. " ; , ■ | Reylands, meantime, was amusing himself by making a football of Anderson's helmet, but on sight of the police reinforcements arriving, the 1 three seamen took to their, heels' much to the chagrin of the crowd, who urged, them to stand their ground. Harris- got- away and .was subsequently arrested, Avhile Porter gave himself up a few minute's before the court sat on the following Wednesday to hear charges of assault and Resisting the police ngnwst the three accused.

A fourth party, Phillip Hock, who

To most people the mention of L&ttelton revives memories of sleepless nights, an unusually early rise, a rush for baggage and waiting trains, and a smoky nde through a seemingly interminable tunnel to Christchurch. ... But as the port of Canterbury, the narrow neck k^own as Lyttelton, has been the scene of unceasing industry— ships coming and going, putting off their cargoes of merchandise and taking on the golden grain, the frozen meat and other products of the soil from which the province has derived its stability

Graham that he must not interfere „. with the police. | Constable Mannix, | who arrested Hariris later m the i evening^ said Har- | ris . agreed to go = quietly if the con--1 stable would not, ! make a show of | him. 1 On the way to | the station, Harris | said he didn't mind i doing three moons iiiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiif' for any policeman. Lawyer Hunter:. Didn't you call him a bad name and say: "We have got you now and will pay you for it"? — No, I never spoke to him. » In outlining his case for the defence, which was an unqualified denial of the police story, Lawyer Hunter commented severely on the methods adopted by the police, which he described as crude and tactless. It was significant, counsel observed, that no effort had been made to find the other party m the fight. Regulations laid it down definitely that except m the cases of more serious crime, no man should be put under lock and key when he could be easily picked up on summons. The constable wanted Harris under; lock and key, and took the earliest opportunity of doing so. Declaring that the police were always nagging at him, Porter; related an incident which occurred some little time ago when Anderson was alleged to have said: "You are having a good run m this port, but I will get you yet." Porter went on to state that they saw two men fighting arid they appeared ro be seamen. Sergeant Dunlop: If the police had not arrested Harris there would have been no trouble ?— There would, have

been a row even if I had kept out. They were looking for Harris. » Adeline Brooks, mother of the licensee of the hotel, deposed that Constable Anderson asked her to ring the. police station for reinforcements.- She heard Harris ask the police to allow him to explain and he would go quietly. To the sergeant, she denied saying to anyone: "For God's sake hurry up for they are killing Anderson m the back room." Harris, a •well-dressed young 1 man with a slight brogue m his speech, told a similar story to Porter. Asked, by counsel why he had gone to the doctor for a certificate he said he had done so because he had heard of people being knocked about while m the cells. He alleged that when arrested. Constable Marinix said: "You rotten , how we have got you and when we get you up there will pay you for it." When he was arrested, Harris said the police twisted his arm until they nearly, broke/ it, and While he was sitting on a form m the cellsi Constable Bain stood on his toes and punched him on the ribs,' -while Marmlx hit him across the hftnds with the piece of wood to which the cell door keys were attached. • The character and general good conduct of the accused was testified to by . Frederick Mintey, superintendent of the Seamen's Institute, who said they had been woll .behaved m the two months he had known them. The Magistrate, however, accepted the story of the police and found each of the accused guilty. Porter, Harris und Reyla.nd were each sentenced to the maximum term of -three months m Paparua prison,, and Hock was given a month. "We got this for nothing, but *we won't get it when we come out again," Porter interjected angrily from the dock until ordered to keep silence.

From "N.Z. Truth's" s pedal Lyttelton Representative.

assaulted Mcßurney while the latter was chasing Harris when he escaped, was also involved m the charges. The hearing of the charges brought forth some sensational charges by tiie accused against the police of holding out threats that "they would get them and would make it hot for them when' they did," and of ill-treatment and cruelty to Harris while he was m the cells immediately following his arrest. An outburst of derisive laughter greeted Constable Anderson when he displayed to the bench a very small scar on his face which was, he said, the result of the brutal Ullllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll

attack made, on him while m th* execution of his duty, Hock, who was represented by Lawyer C. S. Thomas, pleaded guilty to a charge of assaulting Burney. The other three accused, Harris, Porter and Reylartds, who retained Lawyer W. J. Hunter to appear for them, each pleaded not guilty. Reylands was charged with wilful obstruction and wilful damage, Harris with fighting a> person unknown, with ussaulting and resisting Mcßurnoy, and Porter with assault and resisting. Constable Anderson was first to give evidence for the police, and through Sergeant Dunlop, who conducted the

prosecution, he recounted the story as outlined above; He stated that Harris asked Porter: "What about it. Will we give them a go?" and with that the men came to grips on the landing m the Lyttelton Hotel. Anderson denied that h*e had opened the door of Harris 1 bedroom and rushed him with the remark: "You are under arrest." Didn't you twist his ariti till he screamed with pain?— No. Didn't Harris, ask to be allowed to explain and that he would go quietly? — He said lie would explain. iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiKiiiiiuimiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiitiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii

Well, how was there any trouble then? — Because Porter Interfered. Witness added that Harris' only explanation was a denial and he became violent and started to kick. Anderson denied that he had threatened Pprter three hours before the fracas, and that he (Anderson) was looking for Porter. The constable said he had merely shifted a crowd from the front of the post office and Porter had taken exception to it. Didn't Graham, of the Seamen's , Union, tejl you that you would have to stop threatening the seamen? Sergeant Dunlop: And we warned