COURTESY TO COLOURED MEN.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 144083, 30 April 1913, Page 7

COURTESY TO COLOURED MEN.

At West London, last month, before Mr. Fordham, Samuel Lucas,'ylO, director of a public company, of'ltanolagh Gardens, Stamford Brook, was charged with using insulting behaviour at the Broadway, Hammersmith, whereby a breach of the peace might have been occasioned. There was a similar charge against Claude Robinson Lucas, 44, a medical practitioner, of Hammersmith Road, but that defendant did not appear. Police-constable Poole stated that he saw the defendant and Dr. Lucas go up to two coloured men, catch one of them by the arm and neck, and march him through the Broadway. The witness asked them to explain their conduct, and Dr. Lucas said, “Constable, observe tho colour of this d -d man.’’ The defendant and Dr. Lucas had boon drinking. The witness said be told the defendant and Dr. Lucas they must go to tho police station, and the defendant said, “What over a d d nigger?” _ Tho defendant declared that he did not speak to or handle either of the men.

Mr. Fordham, in sentencing the defendant to pay a fine of 40s or undergo ono month’s imprisonment, said I think yon behaved in a very disgraceful way, and the only excuse is —and it is a had excuse—that you had been drinking. Thcso Indian gentle-, men are members of the same State as ourselves and aro entitled to be treated with extreme civility by ns. In m.y view a dark gentleman is preferable to a white cad, and you certainly behaved ns a cad.

Mr. Fordham directed that process should bo issued against Dr. Lucas.