LABOUR DAILY IN TROUBLE.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXV, Issue 18349, 21 August 1929, Page 9

LABOUR DAILY IN TROUBLE.

Guilty Of Contempt Of Court. JUDGE’S SCATHING COMMENT (United Press Association—By Electrlo Telegraph—Copvrlght ) (Received August 20, 7.30 p.m.) SYDNEY, August 20. The Full Court imposed a fine of £2SQ on the Labour daily, "The Labour News,” and £SO on the editor, Q. Spedding. The Court held that there had been a real and substantial interference with the course of justice by the publication of certain articles, which were calculated to prejudice the fair trial of seven arrested Union leaders in connection with the timber strike, when their cases were sub-judice. The Acting-Chief Justice, Mr Justice Ferguson said: “It has been a matter of very serious consideration for me whether we should be justified in merely imposing a fine. It is impossible to come to any other conclusion than that it was respondent’s deliberate intention to prejudice a fair trial of the persons whose cause they are championing.” Arthur Redmond, aged 46 years, a timber striker, was sentenced to three months’ imprisonment for assaulting a volunteer worker. He was also fined £5 for indecent language. All those arrested at last Saturday’s riot outside Hudson’s yards, have been remanded till Monday. Seven members of the Sydney Labour Council Disputes Committee were dramatically arrested when the ! Trades Hall was raided by the police on July 21. The raid followed an incident when the police were stoned by a mass picket of timber strikers. The defendants were:— John Smith Garden, 46, secretary (secretary Labour Council). John Kavanagh, 50, organiser (chairman Disputes Committee). John Culbert, M.L.C., 38, secretary (secretary Timber Workers’ Union). Charles Reeves, 52, bricklayer (member of Disputes Committee). William Terry, 42, organiser (member of Disputes Committee). Michael Patrick Ryan, 34, organiser (member of Disputes Committee). Edward Wallace Paton, 24, ironworker. The charges set out that the seven defendants, “with divers other evildisposed persons,” conspired “unlawfully, by violence or by threats of violence, to prevent persons employed in the timber trade from exercising their lawful trade.” The indictment further set out that they had conspired, by intimidating the workmen of George Hudson, Ltd., to force them to leave their work, and with riotously assembling to assault the workmen employed by George Hudson, Ltd. All the accused were admitted to bail. Following the arrest of seven leaders, the “Labour News,” and its editor, Mr Q. Spedding, were called upon to show cause why they should not be cited for contempt of court in connection with comments made on the case. And last week instructions were given for the issue of writs claiming £70,000 damages for alleged libel from the “Sydney Morning Herald” on behalf of the seven timber strike leaders. The citation of “The Sydney Morning Herald” for contempt of Court was also heard by the High Court, and solicitors have been directed to consider the advisability of an action against the Minister of Mines, Mr Weaver. NO MORE MASS PICKETING. .STATE CABINETS FIRM STAND.. (United Press Association—By Electrie Tel egraph—Copy rl gh t.) (Received August 20, 10.10 p.m.) SYDNEY, August 20. The State Premier (Mr T. R. Bavin) announced, after a Cabinet meeting to-day, that the Government had decided immediately to prevent mass picketing, or any other form of intimidation of volunteer labour at the timber yards.