INCITING LAWLESSNESS

Waipukurau Press, Volume XXVIII, Issue 122, 18 May 1932, Page 5

INCITING LAWLESSNESS

The? Wellington Cases

S.M. TEMPERS JUSTICE

THE BENEFIT OF DOUBTS GIVEN

(Per Press Association) WELLINGTON, This Day.

Eight men were convicted by Mr. E. Page, to-day, of inciting lawlessness on either Tuesday or Wednesday of last week, and each was ordered to come up for sentence if called within 12 months, conditional on entering within seven days into a bond with a surety of £5O to be of good behaviour.

They were:—Patrick Delan, alias Michael Dermody (46), labourer; Bernard Charles Whitlew (29), labourer; Gustavus Harold Kitchener Isaac (28), presser; William Victor Guilford Hargreaves (21), labourer; Frank Parker (24), labourer; Reginald Patrick Johnston (30), steward: Thomas Martin Kilkelly (22); labourer, and Bertram Charles Ross (54), cook. In the case of William Reilly (38), carpenter, sentenced on Saturday to a month’s imprisonment, a rehearing was granted and the case brought into line with others and a similar sentence imposed.

The Magistrate said the question of penalties had given him much anxious consideration. The cases differed essentially from those in which shop-windows were wantonly smashed and goods looted, though there could be no denying the seriousness of the charge of inciting lawlessness.

He thought it probable that defendants were carried away by the prevailing excitement and that they did not realise the danger of another conflagration being started.

Their conduct was thoughtless rather than calculated. He therefore had come to the conclusion that imprisonment should not be imposed.

The charge against Marins Petersen (44), labourer, of wilfully breaking a window, was dismissed owing to a doubt.

Harry Clarence Bepney (31), storeman, was sentenced to six months for the theft of jewellery. The charge against George Stanley Pegley ,33), labourer, who had elected to be tried by a jury, was dismissed owing to a doubt as to intent.

William James Baker (35), fireman, who was sentenced to two months on Saturday for the theft of a glass mug, was committed to the Supreme Court for trial on charges of using indecent language also being a rogue and vagabond in that he was found armed with a baton and stone, with felonious intent. This ends the riot cases.