AT THE CLOCK TOWER.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1716, 5 April 1913, Page 8

AT THE CLOCK TOWER.

« TAKING UP A COLLECTION. CASE AT THE CHRISTCHUKCH COURT. . ißy Telegraph.—l'resa. Association.) Ciiristohui'ch, April 4.:. : At the Magistrate's Court, beiore Air. -1. -A. 11 a i ley, ti.A]., (JutJj.bcrt l>co iieary 'was chargea with ueing nn idle aud clisoruerly person,'in tnat ho placed himself iu Aluiiciiester Street on (Saturday, March 29, lor the purposo of gathering, alms. Mr. Cassidy appeared lor Deary, who pleaded not guilty. ' Bcloro evidence wns v taken, tho magistrate asked Mr. Cassidy it' lie would admit that u collection was taken up. Mr. Cassidy: Xes, 1. will' admit that, but not that lie collected alms. Constabio-Packer said that at a meeting at the Clock Tower on March 29 oho' man announced that hats would Ire taken round amongst the crowd "as wo required funds to carry on our work and Biivo our speakers from going to gaol." Accused their went round with tlie hat, and took up a collection. Constable Poolo also saw tho collection taken up by Beary, but his evidence differed from that of tho previous witness, in that Constable Poole said that Beary appealed for "funds to carry on our work; also to pay iiiies inflicted "on tho speaker.", ■_ The Magistrate: Tho last-witness said it was a man named .Warrell who said this. Mr. Cassidy said tho charge was grossly impudent and unnecessary. Counsel said he had been engaged to appear for Beary by some 500 employees nt. the Addington. railway workshops, who were Beary's fellow-workers. These men resented tho" charge, and Mr.-Cassidy said there was a large deputation outside tho Court, who were thero to protest, while there were several men present to give evidence as to Beary's character. He lield that tho circumstances were not tho samo as in the case where a person is declared "idlo and disorderly" for seeking alms. Beary was not idle, but was working at Addington workshops, and the collection -was taken, up in .an orderly manner. . The magistrate concurred, and pointed out that the collection had been taken up in an orderly manner, aud accused boro a reputable character, apart from .what views one might hold on various questions. The magistrate added that under" those circumstanccs: ho could not braud accused under this- class of criminal. The charge-was dismissed. Charges against Frederick E. Cooke and James J{. Warrell of assisting Beaty in "gathering alms" wero withdrawn. ■ Harold Edenton was charged with causing obstruction at the Clock Tower on March 15, and tho polico asked for sureties of . tho peace. Ho was bound over to keep tho peace for three months in .one surety of ,£2O, -. and fined £i for causing- the obstruction. For' liaving delivered ail address at tho Clock Tower, inducing a crowd to collect, and thus causing obstruction, Cuthbert Leo Beary was fined .£5, and Edward J. Howard, Paddy Clias. Webb, Fred. Btirgoyne, W. E. J. Maguire, Fred. E. Cooko, and Jas. M'Cjillough were each fined £2.