THE RECENT HUNTLY RIOT.

Waipa Post, Volume 44, Issue 3183, 28 May 1932, Page 5

THE RECENT HUNTLY RIOT.

TWENTY-TWO MEN CHARGED

(By Telegraph. Press Association.) HUNTLY, Friday.

The Huntly Magistrate’s Court presented a scene of animation to-day, when 22 men alleged to have participated in the I’aid upon the Farmers Trading Company's premises at Huntly on 19th May, appeared before Mr F. H. Levien, SAL, charged with the theft of groceries valued at £lO. Five of the men were further charged with inciting lawlessness. Keen interest was taken in the proceedings by a lai-ge gathering of residents, none of whom was able to gain admission to the Court. Counsel for 17 of the men asked for the dismissal of the charges against Kinson and Swindells, who tried to dissuade the crowd against direct action. He said when the other men entered the shop there was no animosity against either the manager or the firm. Rightly or wrongly the men were dissatisfied with existing conditions. and went to the shop with the purpose of getting credit at the expense of the Hospital Board, but mainly to make a gesture of protest. When they entered the shop they had no unlawful intention. After a'show of hands was called for, they were carried away by mob psychology. In evidence the accused Green denied that he had gone behind the counter or had stolen any goods. The accused Peden also denied taking any goods. Counsel for the five charged with inciting said they acted as executive and agents for the unemployed. The proceedings had not been attended by unruiiness, violence or disorder. Accused had not indulged in shouting or sought to incite anyone on the way to the shop, and when they were in the premises they had approached the manager quietly to put their proposal before him.

“It is regrettable that a place like this should have been besmirched,’ remarked the magistrate, who said the evidence, showed that the men had gone to the shop with the intention of prosecuting an unlawful purpose. Where a number attempted to cari'y out an unlawful purpose, all were liable for the acts of any member of the gathering. “It was a foolish act for the leaderes to have taken the mob to the store.” he concluded.

The cases against Kinson. Swindells and Peden were dismissed. Fuller. Allen, Bincham, Stirling and Richards were convicted and sentenced to three months’ imprisonment, while on the theft charges all the accused convicted wefre fined £lO, in default one month’s imprisonment. They were allowed one month in which to pay.