THE ARRESTED LEADERS.

Pahiatua Herald, Volume XVIII, Issue 4699, 28 November 1913, Page 5

THE ARRESTED LEADERS.

ACCUSED BEFORE THE COURT.

CASES NOW PROCEEDING.

THE CHARGE AGAINST YOUNG

Wellington, This Day. The first of the cases against the strike leaders was commenced to-day. The Court was again crowded. Specials guarded both the inside and outside, as well as the approaches to the building.

There was a stir in Court when William Thomas Young was called. He was charged with inciting persons to resist tin* jxiliee. Mr Ostler appeared for the Crown, and Messrs Wilford and Orogan for the defence. In opening his address Mr Ostler said it seemed to be the opinion that Young was arrested because he was a leader of the strike. Nothing could be more absurd. Everybody was within his rights in heing the leader of a strike. On the other hand everybody had the right to work. The speech accused was charged with took place on October 26th. Both before and after that date there were scenes of violence and rioting in Wellington. Owing to that the Government took steps to regain command of the streets, and it was in that connection that the licensed uttered the words charged against him. To every fair thinking man, and according to the law an inciter to violence was worse than the man who actually committed the deed. He proceeded to call evidence. Among the witnesses called wore Harcus Piitmner, chief reporter of the Dominion, Leo Fanning, reporter on the Evening Post, and Charles Redman, reporter on the New Zealand ’rimes, all of whom gave evidence regarding the words used, by Young as mentioned in the charge. Sergeant James Henry described the rush on the Taviiini on the 24th October, thus indicating the state of disorder prior to thq defendant’s speech at the Basin Reserve. Witness also described the trouble in the Post Office square, when he heard shots fired. Other evidence of a similar nature was given, and the case for the Crown closed.

Mr Wilford said the defence would be that although it might he proved that the words in the charge were aeually used by the defendant those words were no offence at law. The defence, lie added, was absolutely and wholly a legal one. In oilier words flint there was no offence at law.

Counsel contended that incitement under section 68 of the Police Offence Act must be incitement of the person or persons to resist a particular constable actually doing some act which was in the execution of his duty. An address to a crowd to the effect .“If at any future time a constable strikes one of you strike him hack'’ was, he argued, not an offence under the section named. When the speech was made on the basin reserve there were no constables executing their duty, and the whole suggestion of the utterance in question was suppositious. It was not even clear that the Act suggested would be resistance. It might be an assault, but that was not the charge. Counsel submitted that Young had done no more than issue generally to a large number of people engaged in industrial strife an invitation or advice that if any.of them was struck bv l a police baton he should hit hack. The case is proceeding.

OTHER COURT CASES. Wellington, This Day. In the Magistrate’s Court to-day a tram conductor named Herlihy was fined £3, with the alternative of 14 days’ imprisonment, on each of two charges of using insulting language in a tram car and assaulting a passenger. The evidence showed that the accused was overheard by a passenger, relating how he had refused a “scab” a passage on his car. The passenger remonstrated with the conductor, who retorted that if the second passenger did not mind his own business he would 1>& treated in the same manner. Further words passed, and accused seized hold of the passenger. Another man on the car intervened and per-i suaded the conductor to desist. As the passenger was leaving the car the conductor used insulting language. For driving a motor car in a dangerous way by sending it into a troop of special constables,Harry Hill was fined £3, with the alternative of 14 days’ imprisonment.

THE CORINTHIC’S FIREMEN

NOW AVILLING TO GO BACK

FIFTY SEAMEN ARRESTED

Wellington, This Day. Twenty-eight of the Corinthic’s firemen _ pleaded guilty at the Magistrate’s Court to refusing duty. The men were given a chance of going back to the ship if they promised not to repeat their refusal to obey orders. Three expressed their readiness to return. They were ordered to come up for sentence when called on. The others were sentenced to a month’s imprisonment and ordered to bo placed on hoard the vessel if she leaves New Zealand in the meantime.

Later in the morning counsel tor the prosecution said lie understood that all the men wore willing to go back and obey orders if the Magistrate would remit the sentence. Mr Riddell said the men should know their own minds. He, however, agreed that they be brought before him at 2. 15 this afternoon.

Fifty 'members of the Maunganui’s crew were arrested 10-day on charges of desertion.