WELLINGTON BAKERS' STRIKE.

Otago Witness, Issue 2840, 19 August 1908, Page 26

WELLINGTON BAKERS' ST RIK E.

ASSAULTING A NON-STRIKER.

FOURTEEN DAYS' IMPRISONMENT.; ' WELLINGTON, August 14.

Alexander Davidson (a baker) and Walter Kilkolly were charged at the Magistrate's Court to-day, before Mr W, P. James, S.M., with having assaulted? one James Heron (a baker) near Brooklyn on August 8.

James Heron (baker) stated that he was going to work about half-past 2 on tha morning of the Bth of August to Brougham street by " way of the tramline from Brooklyn when three men rushed at him. Two struck him several times on. tha chest, knocking him down. , Davidson , asked him if he had had enough, andt told him to go home. The third person, witness asserted, was the president of thq Bakers' Union. Davidson had been working in the same place where the witness' was now working. Davidson had a bultdog with him on that occasion, and on the daj T before, when he spoke to the witness about leaving his job, he had to climb over tanks and everything to get clear. The leg of his trousers was torn, he thought by the bulldog. — Crossexamined by Mr Hindmarsh : The witness, declared that the men had rushed him. •

Mr Hindmarsh : Aren't you an imaginative sort of man?— l beg pardon.- 1 — • Aren't you given to romancing ; to telling stories ? No. It's you who are telling them. Isn't it a fact that you are not respony sible for your actions? Are you responsible for yours? Aren't you a man of weak intellect?

No, but you are. The witness was then, a. e ked. if he had!. not struck a driver named Black with a stick, an-d said he would smash, every unionist in t/he country. He admitted! touching Black on the leg with a stick, and saying " This is what I keep for strikers."

Jesse Harlem (president of the Bakers? Union), called for the defence, said he had been out every night endeavouring ta_ induce bakers at work to leave their jobs. Davidson was a member of thef union, Kilkolly was not, and Heron, who had been an old member of the union, hadt gone back on them. They had gone to Brooklyn for the purpose of picketing-. While they were taking a short cut down the tramline, as he went ahead he heard 1 a scuffle behind, and saw two men on tha ground. He never saw the man Heron.

Walter Kilkolly said Heron had struck him first, and witness threw his assailant against the bank. Heron began to cry. They had gone up to have a bit of fua with Heron, who he had heard could run. It was iust for the sport he went. "~ His Worship said there had been a good deal of exaggeration about , the seriousness of the injuries from the assaultIt was perfectly certain that they had gone up to Brooklyn aiter the complainant. Davidson did not seem to have much to do with the matter, and the case against him would be dismissed. Kilkolly had gone up to have some fun, and, being a sprinter, wanted a bit of a run. He had done a little thumping too. Ifc was no u&e imposing a fine in his. case as the union would pay. He Mould have to pay for his fun by 14 days' imprisonment.

On hearing the sentence Kilkolly burst into tears, and Davidson, who had been discharged, returned to the- dock and. offered to go to prison in place of Kilkolly, who, he said, was not really to" blame. Kilkolly's age was given as 17 years. No notice was taken of Davidson's offer, and the two accused left the courfe by different doors.