COMMUNISTS’ AIMS.

Waikato Times, Volume 111, Issue 18641, 20 May 1932, Page 9

COMMUNISTS’ AIMS.

CREATION OF DISORDER. DISCUSSION IN COURT. “FRIENDS OF SOVIET UNION.” In one of the Police Court cases, says the Wellington Dominion, counsel for accused and Detective It. Waterson spent a good deal of time in discussing the Communist 1 ai\y and an organisation referred to as tue Friends of the Soviet Union. Detective Waterson took a very different view from that of counsel regarding the aims and objects of the Communist Party in New Zealand, lie related an occurrence which, as it seemed to him, pointed to the Communists being “very muen concerned in the troubles of the other mglil. The subject arose at a stage in the case when Sub-Inspector Ward learned from Detective Waterson, in the witness box, that a defendant had been found to have in his possession a card of membership with the Friends of the Soviet Union. The charge against the defendant was one of inciting lawlessness, and his counsel objected as soon as the evidence relating to the membership card had been given. _ Counsel suggested that it would he wrong for any court to taac note ol idie i; urn our in connexion with the existence of a political pv'ty dhere was no proof, he said, that the Communist Party had until very rcccnlb been convicted of any offence against law and order. Counsel had been informed by one of the leaders of the party that they had strongly deprecated violence of any kind in connection with the present unemployment troubles. It was dangerous ground for any court to accept or take judicial note of anything that was ifi the nature of a political policy. Counsel sought to illustrate this by quoting extensively from a noted appeal case which occurred in England during the World War. The .utmost reluctance had been shown by the courts In accepting any matter of notoriety sufficient to dispose of the presumption that a prisoner was innocent until lie was proven guilty. If a court was to take up the position that intent was to be implied or presumed because a prisoner was a Communist, or —to go as far as the police went —merely one who attended Communist meetings, counsel thought It unjustified. It conflicted entirely, In his view, with British constitution and practice. It would be better, counsel said, if the police could find it possible to. keep the question of Communist membership or sympathies out of the precincts of the court. Magistrate’s View. The magistrate, Mr E. Page, said that his view could be expressed within a very short compass. If it was a fact that the present defendant or any other defendant belonged to a local organisation, cither to the Communists, or, as it was suggested in the present case, to the Friends of the Soviet Union, and if it was a fact that it was the policy of such organisations to advocate disorder and lawlessness, then, in the magistrate’s opinion, if those facts could be proved, they were relevant to the question of intent.

Counsel asked whether that would not mean that the Intent of a person assor/ited with the Communist Parly war more or less presumed. It lay upon the police, he thought, to prove that accused belonged to _a local organisation and to prove, if it was a fact, that the organisation as part of its policy advocated disorder and lawlessness.

Counsel proceeded to cross-ex-amine Detective Waterson, the principal police witness. The principles of the Communist Party, Detective Waterson said, wero to look for Trouble and disorder, and if there were no trouble and disorder, to make them. The party’s ultimate object was the overthrow of the present Government, or system of government. "I’ve heard that announced from the public platform in Blair Street," witness said.

He explained to counsel his Idea of the constitution and alms of the Friends of the Soviet Union. The organisation was one and the same thing as the Communist Party. At this point defendant appeared considerably amused. Counsel gave the court to understand lha* the Communist Party and the Friends ol the Soviet Union were distinct bodies.

“Arc you aware," ho asked witness, “that there are many intellectual men In New Zealand, lawyers, professors in universities, ministers of religion, and some of our highest citizens, who a - c friends of Soviet Russia?” “Wouldn’t bo Surprised.” “I would not he surprised to hear that," witness said. Detective Waterson denied completely that ttie police or detectives Pad at any time been given orders to get hold of the Communists as soon as possible. In support ol' his view ( ,f the aims and activities of the party, Detective Waterson recounted what he had seen on Wednesday cvcn'/.g last. A number of people in threes and fours walked down to the Communist llall. Someone looked them over from a window before they were admitted. Apparently only those who were known were allowed into the hall. They spent about half an hour inside and came out, again in |h”ccs and fours. Some of them were found to have offensive weapons. “It seems to me,” Detective Waterson said "that that points to the Communists being very much concerned in the troubles of the other night.” lie maintained that the Communist Party ami the Friends of the Soviet Union had a good deal in common. He had several times seen a woman named .Myrtle .tones, a Communist, at Dio headquarters of the Friends of Soviet Russia. The cross-examination strayed again, as it had done once or twice previously, to Russian history and tuc •‘road to Moscow." Detective Waterson accepted counsel's assurance Hint Iliere had been two revolutions in Russia, both bloodless. Far Removed, Magistrate Suggests. “The number of revolutions m R.isMa," Hie magistrate observed, "seems very far removed from a rovge of inciting lawlessness m Wellington, Counsel said that the Friends of y (’w Zealand. jl u , Soviet, Union was the name, of an o-Miiisalion aiming to break down the animosity that existed hi many countries toward Russia.

“I’m afraid it's more than that,” said Detective Walcrson. "One of I lie objects of the Friends of Soviet Russia is to prevent war with Russia.” “That’s some of the claptrap you've bad pumped into you by the Welfare League," said counsel. “I’ve never read anything about Hie Welfare League," said witness. "Well, don't you do it,” said counsel. The cross-examination then returned to questions eonnoclcd wiln details of Hie charge before, Hie court.