TRAMWAY STRIKE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21643, 13 May 1932, Page 8

TRAMWAY STRIKE

TRIBUNAL TAKES EVIDENCE METHOD OF PROCEDURE SETTLED i,Per United Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, May 12. Such good progress was made to-day by the tramway strike tribunal that there is some prospect of the deliberations being finished to-morrow night. To-day there were no further difficulties of procedure such as were encountered at the preliminary sitting yesterday, and the hearing of evidence was continued from 10 a.ra. till 6 p.m. The proceedings are in camera. The so-called order of reference to the tribunal comprises, in effect, the submissions of the two parties. The board agrees that all questions in dispute between the union and the board shall be referred to the tribunal, including the position of volunteer workers and the board’s responsibility to them. The union requests the tribunal to consider the complaint of victimisation, and asks for the dismissal of all free labourers, the reinstatement of members of the union in their former positions, and an equitable system of rationing.

RIOTERS BEFORE COURT SEVEN MEN SENT TO PRISON. FOUND IN POSSESSION OF WEAPONS. (Per United Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, May 12. As a sequel to the riot at the tramway depot in Moorhouse avenue on Friday morning seven men pleaded guilty this morning to charges of waiting and besetting. All were sentenced to three months in goal. One man, on two similar charges, received six months’ imprisonment. The police said that almost every man arrested was armed with some weapon, either, stones or batons. Various pieces of gelignite were found later. In sentencing the accused the magistrate (Mr E. D. Mosley) said that when the country was passing through such trying times it was up to every man to do his; best to tide over the emergency, and hard work by all was one of the essential things. Any man who beset hie fellowworkers in such times deserved punishment at the hands of the court. Though it was hard to have to send first offenders to gaol, there was no excuse for them. They knew what they were about. It was John Stephen M|Kegney. aged 28, a labourer, who received the six months’ imprisonment. The others were also mostly labourers. Two other men received three months’ imprisonment and three others one month’s imprisonment. In all, 16 cases were dealt with. The police said that one man who resisted violently had a pick handle concealed on him. Another was in possession of stones and a poker. Two ex-tram conductors. Frank Martin Cusack and Leonard George Cotton, were also charged with waiting and besetting. They pleaded not guilty. The magistrate gave both the benefit of a monetary fine as they had no weapons in their possession when they were arrested. Both were fined £3. in default 14 days’ imprisonment. Counsel for the accused men said they wore all genuine unemployed who had sympathy with the strikers. The exhibits (stones and other weapons which were on view in court) looked unfavourable, but the accused M‘Kegney was the only one concerned in an isolated incident. The others were just among the crowd. Nearly all were destitute. One had a young wife and there wore three children, with another expected. She had spent all her time worrying and trying to do something for her husband. They were in sore “They can always get food,” said the magistrate. “ The mere fact that these men were in the crowd is against them,” said counsel, “but they are not real criminals. This is the first trouble.” “Not by any means,” said Mr Mosley. "There was the Waimakariri affair for one. They knew what the position was and that they had no right to be on the spot at all.” Counsel said that all the men pleaded guilty and were frank about the matter and sorry they ever bad anything to do with it. Apart from this trouble they seemed to be decent men. Three or four had got jobs to go to. “They certainly have,” said the magistrate meaningly. ATTEMPT TO DERAIL TRAM ACCIDENT NARROWLY AVERTED. (Per United Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, May 12. An attempt to derail the last tram to Riccarton last night was the only untoward event in the running of the service to-day. A large bolt and an iron wedge were placed on the rails on the Riccarton road. The car passed over both obstacles, narrowly escaping derailment, but the motorman wa§ somewhat shaken by the experience. , Barbed wire fences have been erected across all entrances to the Moorhouse avenue tramsheds. greatly facilitating the work of the patrols. The Tramway Board has not yet decided whether it will extend the service for the late shopping night to-morrow.