SET FIRE TO ROAD BRIDGE

Taranaki Daily News, 14 October 1930, Page 6

SET FIRE TO ROAD BRIDGE

“CHICAGO GANG METHODS” “COULD NOT BE TOLERATED HERE” YOUNG MEN TO PAY OVER £lOO. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Auckland, Oct. 13. Two young farmers from the Bay of Plenty were sentenced in the Supreme Court to-day for setting fire to the Kopouroa bridge, between Te Puke and Papamoa. They were George Ernest King aged 21, and Roy Tannahill McLeod, aged 23, both described as members of highly respected families. Mr, Justice Reed said it appeared that the bridge had been fired in order to prevent residents of one part of the district attending a public.meeting called for the purpose of fixing a central site for a proposed hall. This attempt was, in principle, the same as the action of the gangsters in Chicago, and could no + be tolerated in this country. According to the police reports the action of the two accused was approved by a section of the community and there was a tendency to lionise them. He hoped that the tendency was not shared by intelligent residents of. the district. Accused were liable to life imprisonment, but, in view of their youth and good character, he would not send them to was fined £5O and £2O .costs and damages, in default six months, imprisonment. King was finpd £2o and £l2 damages, in default three months’ imprisonment.