RECENT DISORDER ON WEST COAST.

Star (Christchurch), Volume XLIV, Issue 150, 26 June 1931, Page 7

RECENT DISORDER ON WEST COAST.

BLACKBALL MINERS APPEAR BEFORE S.M. (Special to the “ Star.”) GREYMOUTH, June 26. In the Magistrate’s Court to-efay, before Mr IV. Meldrum, S.M., the hearing commenced of further charges against Blackball miners arising out of disturbances following a demonstration on June 16. Inspector Fitzpatrick represented the police and Mr Patterson represented the accused, who pleaded not guilty. Sixteen men and. four women were charged that on June 16, at Blackball, with a view to compelling John Kerr to abstain from doing an act which he had a legal right to do, they wrongfully and without legal authority beset his house. Evidence for the prosecution was given by Constables Drummond, Honey, Patterson and Leith and by John Llewellyn Davis, John Kerr and Detective Murch. Detective Murch stated that, whilst the police were escorting members of the co-operative party to their homes, a large crowd assembled, booing, jeering and using insulting language, but no violence . One word was frequently used. The crowd was definitely hostile. Constable Drummond stated that there was no doubt in his mind that there would have been a riot if the police had not been there. Constable Honey stated that Mrs Adamson, one of the defendants, called out: “You dirty, rotten dogs.” He considered that the defendants Cruse and Lockey were the ringleaders. The women were very hostile, as bad, if not worse, than the men. Children Present. Mr Patterson: There were a good number of children present. Would the men deliberately cause a riot for children to be trampled on? Constable Honey: It wouldn’t worry some of the Blackball people very much if the children were trampled on in a melee. Constable Patterson stated that the crowd were booing and using insulting language. Mrs Anderson called out: “ You .” John Llewellyn Davis,' a member of the co-operative party, stated tha(; Cruse and others jostled them off the footpath. Mrs Ritchie called him “ a yellow, mongrel.” To Inspector Fitzpatrick, witness said: “If the police had not been there we would have been footballs.” John Kerr stated that Mrs Anderson called out “You , you .” Being called a was not a compliment. To the Inspector: If the police had not been there, God knows what would have happened to us. The Defence. Mr Patterson, addressing the Court, claimed that no evidence had been given as to besetting. The house was not surrounded and the occupants were not blocked from going in and out of the house. There was no evidence of violence. The crowd was present purely out of curiosity. He asked his Worship to dismiss the charges. The court decided to hear the evidence of the defendants. George Cruse, John Hunt, John Leitch, John M’Neill, John Dodds, Edward Leitch, John Driscoll and Ada Dodds gave evidence, stating that the crow doutside Kerr’s house was quite orderly. It was there out of curiosity. All denied booing or using insulting language. John M’Neill stated that Mrs Bladerstone, wife of a member of the cooperative jparty, came out on the verandah and placed her fingers to her nose. This caused the crowd to boo. Inspector Fitzpatrick: What were you there for?—Oh, purely out of curiosity. Inspector: Curiosity again. John Hunt stated that he saw Mrs Bladerstone put her fingers to her nose. She called out, “ Gaze on the queen of Persia.” The unionists were there just to give the co-operative miners a welcome home. The executive had given the men instructions that tbpij must be no violence.