INSPECTOR ASSAULTED

Taranaki Daily News, 19 September 1931, Page 7

INSPECTOR ASSAULTED

FRACAS NEAR PARLIAMENT TWO MONTHS’ IMPRISONMENT. MAGISTRATE’S SERIOUS VIEW. WILFUL OBSTRUCTORS FINED. By Telegraph—Press Association. Wellington, Last Night. Wilful obstruction of the police was held to have been proved against four of the demonstrators who took part in the recent fracas outside Parliament' buildings when the hearing of the chargee against them was concluded in the Police Court to-day before Mr. E. Page, S.M. The charges ranged from assault to obstruction of policemen when in the execution of their, duty. One accused was sentenced to two months’ imprisonment, two were fined £5 each, and the third was fined £3. Bernard Reginald Eric Boston was charged with wilfully obstructing Constable Adams in the execution of his duty and with wilfully, damaging a pair of trousers and underpants valued at £2 3s, the property of Constable Walsh. Henry James Russell was charged with obstructing Inspector Lander in the execution of his duty and with assaulting Inspector Lander and Constable Williams in the execution of their duty, and wilfully damaging a pair of trousers, the property of Constable Williams. Vincent Robinson was charged with assaulting Detective Sergeant Tricklebank while in the execution of his duty, and William Benjamin Arthur Wilkinson was similarly charged in respect of Constable Quin. All pleaded not guilty. INSPECTOR ATTACKED. Inspector Lander said that as a result of obtaining verbal permission from the Minister of Labour he allowed the procession into Parliament House grounds. A man named Sandford commenced to address the crowd and witness called on him to desist. Witness went towards fiim, but as soon as he got on the fringe of the crowd he found he was obstructed. He was attacked and blows were struck at him by Russell. Witness caught Russell, and the police coming to his assistance, a general melee occurred. Some of the demonstrators were knocked down, and also the police. “It appeared to me from the attitude of Russell and others towards me that it was a pre-arranged organisation to prevent me from stopping the speaker,” said Inspector Lander. Questioned, witness said he had given no instruction to the police to follow him. They came of their own accord after he had been attacked. Batons were drawn, but the whole thing was over within a few minutes. To the magistrate, witness said his impression was that there was an organised ring around the speaker. If it had been the ordinary public just listening he would have had no trouble at all in getting to the speaker. The police had instructions, witness said, to stop any speech-making in the Parliament House grounds. BENCH GIVES JUDGMENT, “The Police Department has issued a general order that no speech-making and no demonstrations are to be permitted in Parliament grounds,” said the magistrate, in giving judgment. “’When Sandford got up to speak Inspector Lander in pursuance of his duty called to him to desist, and when Sandford failed to desist he went over toward him to tell him to his face that he must desist. Some of the speaker’s supporters closed round him with the view apparently of preventing the inspector from approaching him. Russell, without the slightest provocation, attacked Inspector Lander and also Constable Williams, felling him to the ground. A general melee followed.” — On behalf of Russell counsel said he was satisfied there had been no deliberate attempt to interfere with the police. Russell, he. said, was not a, member of tht C'ommunist Party. Wilkinson’s counsel said Wilkinson was a married man with five children, and imprisonment would go hard with his family.’ “The police are charged with the duty of maintaining order, and they do not look lightly on anything in the way of organised opposition to their authority,” said the magistrate. “Russell committed an unwarranted and unprovoked attack on Inspector Lander and Constable Williams, and on each of the charges against him he will be convicted and sentenced to two months' imprisonment, the sentences to be concurrent. Robinson and Wilkinson will each be convicted and fined £5, and ordered to make restitution for the damage they have caused. Boston will be fine'd £3 on the charge of obstructing, and is ordered to make good the mischief he caused." The magistrate allowed one month for the fines to be paid.