STREET DISORDERS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21645, 16 May 1932, Page 8

STREET DISORDERS

THE WELLINGTON RIOTERS FURTHER PROSECUTIONS SEVERE SENTENCES IMPOSED (Per United Press Association.) WELLINGTON, May, 14. The prosecutions arising out of the rioting were continued to-day. William Henry Pearce, aged 25, a labourer, was charged with being a rogue and vagabond, in that he was found armed with an offensive weapon. Decision was reserved. The weapon was a stone, and the alleged offence was committed in connection with Wednesday’s affair in Cubp street. William Alexander Geoyge Lockhart, aged 24, a woollen worker, pleaded not guilty to being a rogue and vagabond in that ho was found, armed with an , offensive weapon, with felonious intent. He also denied having assaulted a constable. The police stated that they re- • garded the accused as one of the leaders of the lawlessness that followed the march to Parliament. They alleged that he threw a piece of iron at the police at Parliament gates, striking Constable Waugh, He saw he was being watched, and moved off jnto the crowd. Subsequently he was seen with a party of rioters in Lambtou quay, and was arrested at the corner of Manners and Cuba streets. An iron socket connected to a piece of plaited wire was found in his pocket. Detective Sergeant Rcvell said that from 80 to 100 men made a move to force Parliament gates open. He was watching accused when the bar was thrown. The accused had frequently come under his notice in the past few months. The accused had associated himself with all Communist meetings. “I will describe him as an ordinary hooligan,” said witness. Counsel, who was objecting to the nature of the questions, here interrupted: “ Has he been before the court before? ” Witness: Ho has been Itieky. He attends these meetings and takes every opportunity of shouting, jeering, and yelling.

The magistrate held that the evidence was relevant to the intent which was part of the charge. Cross-examined, witness said that some of the speeches at Parliament Buildings did not tend to keep the crowd subdued. Such a statement as “ Why doesn’t Coates come out? ” did not help at all. Counsel: It was a question a good many people were asking themselves. Don’t you think if Mir Coates had come out within a reasonable time it would have kept the people quiet? ( The magistrate said he did not coniider the question a proper one. Answering another question in regard to the bar of iron, witness said that a man who would throw that piece of iron was fit for anything. Witness did not try to -arrest the accused when he threw the bar because he thought it would be indiscreet. He knew the accused and knew he could always get him. “I- thought it behoved everyone there to try to keep the peace as much as possible,” said witness. Constable MThee said that when he arrested the accused he told the accused lie could kill a man with that instrument. The accused replied, “It’s the specials I’m after.” Witness said the accused was well known to him. Ho would describe him as a larrikin. On the first charge a sentence of 12 mojiths’ imprisonment was imposed, and on the charge of'assault three months’ imprisonment, the sentences to be cumuArtliur James Timothy Rawlings, aged 30, pleaded guilty to being a rogue and a vagabond jn that he was found armed •with an offensive weapon, an iron bar, with felonious intent, and to two charges of theft. A sentence of 12 months’ imprisonment was imposed on the first charge and one of three months’ imprisonment for theft, the terms to be concurrent; George Newman, aged 42, a labourer, pleaded not guilty to using obscene language and Inciting lawlessn'ess on Tuesday evening. The defence was that he was" drunk. He was fined £2 on the first charge and the other information was dismissed. Other sentences were imposed as follows: — . William James Baker, a farmer, aged

S 5, was sentenced to two months’ imprisonment for the theft of a glass mug. „ The accused elected to he tried by a jury on a charge of using indecent language and of being a rogne and vagabond in that he was found armed with an offensive weapon with felonious intent. Thomas Thompson, a labourer, aged 40,- received 12 months’ imprisonment for being found with an offensive weapon with felonious intent. Mervyn George Berry, a printer, aged 22, was sentenced to 12 months’ imprisonment for being found with an offensive weapon with felonious intent. Felix Blaney, a seaman, aged 43, was fined £1 or seven days’ imprisonment for using insulting language. Victor Spearman Beeby, a linotype operator, aged 41, was sentenced to three months’ imprisonment for inciting lawlessness. Leslie George Boyd received one month’s imprisonment for obstructing a constable. William Reilly, a carpenter, aged 38, was sentenced to one mopth’s imprisonment for inciting lawlessness. Archibald Chester, a labourer, agc-1 2C, received three months’ impusonment for wilful obstruction of. a con- ' stable. John Milan Smyth, a labourer, aged 21, was sentenced to three months’ imprisonment for the theft of cigarettes. ft CUBA STREET AFFRAY POLICE METHODS JUSTIFIED REPRESSION OF LAWLESSNESS (Per, United Press Association.) WELLINGTON, May 14. In a statement relating to the Cuba street affray, the Minister of Justice (Mr J. G. Cobbc) reviews at length the events preceding the clash between the police and the mob. He goes on to Bay:— “ Realising the danger of allowing’ the crowd to remain on the vacant section longer than could ho avoided, the police Informed Mr Bracelicld that three minutes only would be allowed to announce the decision arrived at by the strikers’ delegates. Inspector Lander was informed that all the delegates had not arrived and he whs requested to await their arrival. This he agreed As Mr II race field was unable to address the crowd himself a man named Kelly, a well-known malcontent, mounted a chair. When he was warned that he had to confine his remarks solely to the decision arrived at by the delegates and to bo as brief as possible, instead of doing - as requested, he launched out on a lengthy explanation of what the various delegates had done and on his referring to the proposal to hold a one-day strike ho was ordered to desist, but refused.

“Hoots and cries from- the crowd greeted Inspector Lander as he went forward to compel Kelly to stop speaking. Then followed a volley of bricks, stones, pieces of concrete, bottles, and pieces of iron hurled at the small force of 20

ABANDONED BY PERU. • / , LIMA (Peru), May 14.' (Received May 15, at 5.6 p.m.) Peru to-day * abandoned the gold standard, for what is described as a temporary period.

police in Inspector Lander’s immediate vicinity. Faced with the alternative of seeing his small force beaten down the inspector ordered his men to disperse the menacing mob. Six mounted men on reserve further up the section came to the assistance of the foot constables and in a few minutes the - riotous mob had bolted. Behind a fence the police found a large supply of empty bottles from which they had been bombarded. “ In all, 10 persons received temporary treatment at the,hospital. A number of police were struck by missiles, but were not so injured that they could not continue on duty. “It is perfectly clear, not only from the official reports submitted to me by the Commissioner of Police, but from the signed statements of neutral citizens of integrity and standing, that the police exercised very commendable restraint and tact and made no move in force until driven in self-defence tp charge the mob whose overwhelming numbers, open hostility and aggressive violence left no other course open.” “ In view of the exhibitions of mob violence in other centres, the disgraceful happenings of Tuesday night in this city, and the information received by the authorities of the menacing intentions of at least a section of the crowd to renew the acts of violence as nigltt fell, the action of the police in breaking up the hostile crowd in Cuba street before its evil design could be carried out was entirely justified. Indeed, they would have failed in their duty had they not done so.

“ The Government is determined that the evil and subversive elements in the city will meet with no quarter and all lawlessness will be sternly repressed. It would be intolerable if the safety of our citizens and thousands of pounds’ worth of valuable property were to be. wantonly imperilled. Mob violence can hut react on those associated with it. Genuine workers, who are unfortunately numbered amongst those'of our fellowcitizens now unemployed should, in their own defence and for their own best interests, drive out from their midst the evil elements which are using them as tools and behind whom they endeavour to advance their own anti-social wrecking activities.” QUEEN STREET RIOTS ' SPECIAL SITTING OF SUPREME .COURT. (Per United Press Association.) "AUCKLAND, May 14. Fourteen men who were charged witli indictable offences in connection with the Queen street riots will bo tried at a special session of the Supreme Court beginning on May 23. Jury summonses have been issued in sufficient .number to provide for all contingencies.