HARD LABOUR

Waipukurau Press, Volume XXVIII, Issue 131, 28 May 1932, Page 3

HARD LABOUR

For Auckland Rioters

TWO MEN ACQUITTEv

TRIBUTE PAID TO POLICE

(Per Press Association) AUCKLAND, Last Night.

There was a tense atmosphere in the Supreme Court this evening when the trial of the rioting charges ended after a five-days’ hearing and the fate of the 14 accused men became known. The jury, which had retired at 1.40 p.m., returned at 6.10 p.m. to report that they had found eight of the accused guilty of taking part in the riot on the night of April 14 and two not guilty, and that about the remaining four they could not arrive at an agreement. Mr Justice Herdman pronounced sentence as follow in the eight men found guilty:—

George Joseph Silver, of England a labourer, aged 32, two years’ imprisonment with hard labour; George Devereaux of Ireland, a labourer, aged 3S. two years’ imprisonment with hard labour; Simeon Elari, of Australia, a labourer aged 21, two years’ imprisonment with hard labour; James William, Rae Simpson, of Scotland, a labourer, aged 32, two years’ imprisonment with hard labour; Mate Dragovich, of Dalmatia, a labourer, aged 33, two years’ imprisonment with hard labour; John Hubert Edwards, of England, a salesman, aged 38, one year’s imprisonment with hard labour; Clifford John Dudson, of New Zealand, a labourer, aged 31, one year’s imyirisonment with hard labour; Harold Robertson, of New Zealand, a labourer, aged 19, two months’ imprisonment with hard labour, to be concurrent, with the sentence he is now serving. Jury’s Disagreement The jury could not agree in respect, of the following accused:—• Oswald Bourbcau,, of Canada, a waterside worker, aged 5.1: John William McCorkindale, of New Zealand, a miner, aged 37; William John Budd, of England, a seaman, aged 35; Albert William Searles, of England, a seaman, aged 26. The; following were found not guilty and were discharged:— - • John Sharpe, of Scotland, a miner, aged 36, Leo Martinovich, of New Zealand, a motor driver,/ aged 18. The Crown was granted leave for a new trial of the four men about whom the jury disagreed. The retrial -will take place at the next criminal sittings in August. It was stated that they are all in custody.

The only comment attached to the finding was a recommendation to mercy in the case of Robertson on account of his youth. “You men have been very properly convicted by the jury of a very grave offence,” said His Honour. “This is one of the most serious cases that it has been my lot to try since I occupied a seat upon the Bench. I deeply re grot that you and others' have defamed the reputation of the country, which has been in days gone by singularly happy and peaceful. “Before ’announcing the punishment that I propose to inflict I wish to associate myself with observations made about the behaviour of members of the police force, whose duty it was to protect the Town Hall when the attack was made upon it. Some were knocked to the ground, trodden upon and kicked. Some were so seriously injured that their lives were in danger. Even now it is doubtful whether some will ever completely recover.