THE WAIHI TROUBLE.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXVI, Issue 10509, 20 November 1912, Page 5

THE WAIHI TROUBLE.

INQUEST ON EVANS. Per Press Association. Waibi, November 19. The inquest’on the death of Evans was resumed to-day before Mr W. Wallnut, coroner, and a jury of sis. Amongst those present as spectators was Mr J. Robertson, M.P. Mr Selwyn Mays, for the police, briefly explained the occurrence. He said Wade struck a blow in selfdefence, and Wade would testify that he saw Evans fire the shot which struck Johnson, and therefore he pursued him. Although Wade had killed Evans, it was under justifiable circnfnstances. Arthur Doyle, strike picket, said when the crowd entered the hall on Tuesday Evans was standing just inside the door of the entrance. The witness went to lock the door of the reading room when one of the men said to leave it open. He went into the reading room where the women were. They were frightened. While unlocking 'the door to let the women out he heard the first shot tired. He knew Evans was not in the reading room when the first shot was fired. When the women rushed out he followed into the paddock at the back, and eventually took refuge in Dr, Craig’s house. He only heard one shot. He never drew his revolver. Wm. Leach, Henry Lawrence, and Arthur Richards gave similar evidence, and Harry Bostock followed, detailing occurrences which have already been reported. Walter Evans Harvey, a fireman emnloyed by the Waihi Company said ne was one of the workers in the procession who passed the Miners’ Hall. When he got to the hall he heard fsome of the strikers, call “Scab” and “Mongrel. ” Some stood outside the .door, while others were in the procession. As a result of the offensive terms called put he j stopped and went inside, and partly, closed the door. A revolver shot was fired. Witness "rushed at the door, which [slightly opened, and another shot was fired. This shot hit Johnson. He then got inside and passed through the building and up the incline ac the back, where he overtook four women. Evans was running in advance of the women. Meanwhile Wade hustled through the women, and witness followed. Two shots were then fired, one at witness, and a second at Constable Wade. Witness saw the constable put bis hand to his stomach. The next moment Constable Wade closed on Evans and struck him with his baton. Evans fell on bis face, and then turned over on bis back, holding the revolver in his hand and pointing it upwards. Witness seized the weapon, at the same time catching Evans by the throat. The police then came up. ( Meanwhile, with other workers, ho assisted Evans to his feet. The crowd were very angry, but the police kept them awaj T . Witness saw no act of violence done to |Evans. If Constable Wade bad not used his baton he quite believed somebody else would have been shot. Constable Wade bad every reason to believe when he used his baton his life was in danger. Had witness been in Constable Wade’s place he would have taken the same action. If it had not been for the language used by the strikers in front of the Union Hall there would have been no trouble. To the Coroner: He was of the opinion that Evans bad fired the first shot. He bad no doubt in bis mind ■whatever that Evans fired and shot Constable Wade. Albert Ritchie, a worker, who was in the procession, said he saw Evans through the open door actually discharge the revolver. The bullet passed between Harvey and himself. Immediately after Evans fired, Doyle fired two shots. Thomas Henry Johnson, who limned into the witness box, said be was* with the procession of workers who passed the Union Hall. When he got opposite the hall he heard one of the strikers say, “Go on, yon scabs.” This occasioned some words between the strkers and workers. Some strikers went into the hall and closed it. He beard the report, but could not tell whether it was a revolver shot or not. Harvey, a worker, tried to get through the door. It was opened from within, and witness saw four or five men inside, three of whom bad revolvers pointing outwards at different angles. Directly lie saw the revolvers he stopned and called out “Look out,” at the same time jumping on one side. While in the act of jumping he was . struck in the leg a bullet. He was under the impression that three shots were fired almost simultaneously, hut he could not say positively that more than one shot was tired. The workers had not the slightest intention of interfering with anybody at the hall.. They were going to work, There had, been no organised move to rush the hall. James Alfred Delaney also deposed to seeing Evans fire at Wade, who was then about five paces behind Evans. Wade then overtook him and struck him with his baton. Ho saw Evans fail to the ground,’ but did not see him again, as his attention was taken up with Constable Wade, The latter half stumbled and said, “I’m done ; I’m shot.” Witness caught hold of the constable. James Scott and S. J. Foster gave corroborative evidence. Agues Manning said that the back of the house commanded a view of the paddock at the back of the hall. She saw men running up the paddock, and a constable following closely the man in the lead, when the latter put his hand behind him, his action being followed by a report. She saw a flash, and smoke from the revolver. She then saw the constable bend forward, catch up to the man who had fired, and drawing his baton from his clothing behind struck him on the hack of the head once or twice. To a Juror; It was after the man had fired that the constable drew his baton. Dr. Hyde, medical superintendent at Waihi Hospital, gave evidence as to the condition of Evans when he was received at the hospital. He also said that deceased’s condition was not consistent with the statement that he had been kicked and knocked about by a frenzied crowd. Witness knew Constable Wade, who, w ]ien admitted to the hospital, was suffering from a wound on the right side ot the abdomen. The constable’s condition was serious,and he is not vot entirely out of danger. He also knew the man Johnston,who had been shot in the right leg. The bullet produced in C*urt was that extracted from the wound. Dr. Craig corroborated the evidence of the previous witness.

IW. H. Hazard, gunsmith, said the revolver produced was of Belgian make, of low power. Four of the chambers had been recently fired. The markings on the bullet which had been extracted from Johnston’s leg and produced corresponded with the.rifling of the revolver. A second revolver produced was described by the witness as being of American make. If one of the bullets produced, which had been taken from an undischarged weapon in the possesson of Doyle, struck anybody at short range, it would make a hole large enough to put one’s hand in. The bullet in question had been criss-crossed by a sharp instrument —a practice prohibited in civilised war. The Court was about to adjourn till to-morrow when H, E. Holland, a prominent Socialist, applied on behalf of a relative for an adjournment to permit the Federation to obtain a legal representative and witnesses. It was ultimately decided to take the police evidence tomorrow, and after that adjourn until the 4th December, when it was hoped Constable Wade would be ’ sufficiently recovered to give evidence. THE TRUTH |ABOUT WAIHI. A COMMISSION OF INQUIRY. Auckland, November 20. A deputation from, the Federation of Labour waited on the Prime Minister. Messrs Frazer and McLennan asked for an inquiry into the real nature of the recent riots at Waihi, and for assurance ot the safety of the men on strike if they returned to Waihi. Mr Massey promised to recommend the Minister of Justice to appoint a Commission to inquire and ascertain the real truth as to what happened at Waihi. He gave a personal assurance that the strikers, including seventy whose names it was stated have been “listed” by the workers, could safely return to Waihi,