STRIKE READERS IN COURT.

Press, Volume XLIX, Issue 14842, 6 December 1913, Page 12

STRIKE READERS IN COURT.

' VARIOUS CHARGES. I.W.W. ORGANISER'S CASE. (PBESS ASSOCIATION TELEGBAM.): WELLINGTON, December.S. The cases .against ..the strike leaders on various; charges of inciting, in connexion with, their, public utterances, were resumed to-day before Mr W. G.Riddell, '■ SiM. Mr H. H. Ctetler appeared: for the Crown, and Mr : T. M. Wilford and Mr P. J. CRegan for -the .accused.:.. ' '.■.'■*"■•- : /'.-, • •■■■.■•'- y '"■■ Thomas Barker was charged with using seditious language, and also with inciting to commit a breach of the peace in the words uttered at, Welling- < ton on the-29th October,- in the - pre-; senoe of a large number of waterside workers:—"You" should husband your resources and cope in,such a way with the situation as to make Wellington a second Johannesburg. You do not know the moment when such a situation may arise. The strike will probably affect, not .Wellington only,, but the .whole of the Dominion. The employers of New Zealand are not 'ihore civilised '.. than those! of other countries. - Whilst they own: the workers' bread, they deny the workers the right to work for it. When trouble arises ; they - will not hesitate to give them ,a feed oi lead. Every ■economic - question «s settled •by force. It is a question which" side can exercise the; most * force." . : Application . was.made.that: 'theVaocused should be bound over to keep the peace. To" this; course "Barker gave his consent. ' . Mr" Ostler described the 6peech made by the accused as being one of the most dangerous made in the course of the present industrial trouble, and bably one of the most ever uttered in,the Dominion. , ■ In answer to a question.by the magistrate, Mr Ostler said the accused was organiser for the Industrial Workers of ,the World. . . ' . ."• V.Mr Wilford: He is , simply a tram j conductor. - , IV The magistrate said that the defendant had consented to be-bound over. Ho would he'required to find the sum of £500 in his own recognisance to keep the peace for one year, with two sureties of £500 each. • Mr O'Regan asked if his Worship could Teduce.the bail, as it was at present . prohibitive. He suggested that it be reduced to £250 and srmilar sureties. The accused was a young man,-only connected with the.I:W.W. for about three months. His Worship refused to make any reduction. ■ ,\ The charge, of using -: seditious language was withdrawn by leave of the Court. "