EVICTION SEQUEL

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 74, Issue 244, 15 October 1931, Page 8

EVICTION SEQUEL

THE AUCKLAND CASE

FIFTEEN MEN IN COURT. [ Per Press Association. 1 AUCKLAND, Oct. 14. Fifteen men who were arrested yesterday in a house from which a family was later evicted, appeared at the Police Court this morning and remanded till to-morrow on charges of assaulting and obstructing the bailiff; also, that with intent to carry out a common purpose assembling so as to cause reasonable fear that peace would be disturbed tumultously.

The police wanted a remand till the 20th, but Magistrate Hunt disagreed. During the brief proceedings Chief Detective Hammond remarked: “It has come to this pitch that we have got to put it down.” Under dramatic circumstances, Court bailiffs, backed up by a large posse of police, forced their way into a house at 21 Norfolk Street. Ponsonby, yesterday morning and evicted the tenant, a woman, with five children. Inside the house were fifteen men, said to be Communists, armed with batons of all sorts. They were all arrested on charges of assaulting a bailiff in the execution of his duty, vagrancy, and unlawful assembly.

A Month’s Gaol Edwards, in evidence, denied that he had used the words quoted in the charge. “I at no time advocated the use of violence,” he said. The magistrate, Mr Hunt, said he had no doubt that accused used the words in the charge. It was probable, however, that he was carried away with his own exuberance and said what he would not write in calmer moments. In these demonstrations there was danger of rioting and even death occurring. Accused had come under the notice of the police in the past and he would be sentenced to one month’s imprisonment. “It is my duty to keep the peace in this town and I am going to do it,” added the magistrate. “In future penalties for this sort of offence will be more severe. ’ ’