THE PENALTY OF STRIKING

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXIX, Issue 10887, 27 February 1914, Page 5

THE PENALTY OF STRIKING

DEBTOR SENT TO PRISON. Per Press Association, Auckland, February 26. Another instance of the far-reaoh ing character of the recent labour troubles, in the matter of their se-action on the life of the community in remote places, came before the Police Court this morning, when a bankrupt named William Thomas Martin, aged 31, in admitting that he obtained credit by misrepresentation, pleaded in extenuation of his wrong-doing that he had a wife and three young children to keep and had had to fight for them with his back to the wall, in consequence of his being a “marked” man because of bis attitude during a strike episode. Me E. O, Cuttea, S. M., said that he had long ago decided in oases of fraud under the Bankruptcy Act, there must always be a term of Imprisonment imposed upon conviction. People who lost the creditor’s money in this way, though not dishone t In the ordinary sense, were a great detriment to the community. They went into business, in which they used someone slaa’s capital. If there was a loss it fell on the creditors, if a gain it went to the benefit of the other person. It was a case of “heads I win, tails the other fellow loses.” His Worship was really sorry to Impose imprisonment in this case, but it was necessary in the interests of the community. Defendant would be sentenced to a month’s hard labour.