PUPONGA OUTRAGE SIFTED.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 1760, 27 May 1913, Page 5

PUPONGA OUTRAGE SIFTED.

IN SUPREME COURT. DRINK AT THE BOTTOM OF IT. (By Telegraph,—Press Association.) Nelson, May 2G. The oriminal efesskras of tho Supremo Court opfcned to-day before Sir llobcrt Stout, Chief Justice. In addressing tho brand Jury, his Honour referred particularly to thePugonga strike intimidation charge, in which fivo miners woro alleged to have, injured the dwelling of Samuel Walker, inino deputy, with iuteiit to intimidate. Ilis Honour said that it was apparently desired to causo tho d<* pray to ceaeo work with tk> others, but no declined. His wka.ro and tho contents (valued at JMO) had been destroyed. Ho ncjd not point out that if people wero allowed to resort to violence there would be a revival of the primitive days and d recrudesccuco of civil war. Justico would be driven from the land and anxiety would reign. Instead of such, a Court had been established to settlo industrial disputes, and if men did not cajo to go to this Court, they had lio right to stop others from going to work. The Grand Jury returned trule bills against nil five accused. Daniel Barnou, llobcrt Grace, and James Byens pleaded guilty, and William Bromilo and Eobert lloss not guilty. The Crown offered no evidlonce against Bromilo and Ross, who woro discharged. Mr. P. J. O'Regau, addressing tho Court on behalf of tho other accused, said that a labour disputo arose at Puponga mine, and the majority of tho men ceased work. It was technically a strike. Under . tho constitution of. Uio Federation of Labour, the men wero only allowed strike pay. Walto was acting as deputy in tho mine, Although he did not hold a certificate. The rules of tho union provided that a deputy was not required to belong to tho union, but the men considered that Walker, not having a ticket, should "come out" with them, Walkor did not take that view, and becamo obnoxious to tho men. That was th|> cause of the trouble, although liquor had," in his opinion,' a great deal mora to, f do with tlio , disturbance than tho grievance agaiiist Walker. They consum-; ed, he understood, about 18 gallons of : beer, and then adjourned to Walter's' house, which they tried to push ovor, and it took fire. Tho men realised that they had dono wrong, and Walker, baring assessed his loss, n sum had been offered to recompense him. Accused wero re« speclable men, and the offence was com* matted Hinder cxcitemcnt, rather than with criminal intent.

Sir Robert Stout said that ho deebly regretted to see honest hard-workinff miners in accused's position. The. fact that they realised that they had dono wronf carried great weight with hiru. Ho was in Paris a fow years ago when tho same sort of thing was going oil, aud, as a rosult, poor men suffered very severely, and France (ho pointed out) was a republic with tlio freest kind of government. 11l this country there was a law—it might not bo an effective law—which provided for tho settlement of disputes, and working men must realise that disputes must be referred to legally-coustituted, authority, otherwise there must be a revival of tho old times of "might is right."' Whero that existed there was 110 justice, and ho instanced tho States in Amorico, whero there was lynch law, and tho strong ruled with a rod of iron. Whero that existed there was no justice. If men felt that they were wronged, they could appeal to the Court. If tlio Stato were not to put down this sort of thing, tho State would show that it was incompetent to keep peace, justice, and order. Deferring to Jlr. O'liegan'.s remarks about liquor, his Honour said that New Zealand spent four millions last year oil alcohol. iWhat was to bp the did of this wdsto of money? Tho inoii, instead of saving money for a happy old age, mado money, and then wasted it in liquor. They wora acting against themselves. It was not his intention to sond them to prison. Ho hoped that they would seo that it was not to their interests to violato the law, as tho law would sucoeed in tho end. They would not likn armed men to compel them to work, nnd, in tho samo way, they had not tho right to stop a nmn from working if he desired to do so. no understood that it Was tho aim of tlieso societies to bring about the brotherhood of man, but thoro would bo no feelings of brotherhood if moil resorted to such acta of violence. Accused would bo admitted to probation for twelve months, a-nd would bo ordered to pay >£30 damages to Walker, and to pay ,£5 each towards'th« cost of tho prosecution.