THE COURT PARADE.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1928, 10 December 1913, Page 6

THE COURT PARADE.

TEN MORE CASES BROUGHT,

THE BROKEN BARRICADE.

SOME ALIBIS THAT FAILED,

Nearly all day yesterday charges arising from strike occurrences engaged the attention of Mr. W. G. Riddell, S'.M,

Alfred Jansen, William Parker, ami Robert Stephens were charged with having destroyed a wharf barricade, valued at £12, on October 25. Mr. Dickson represented tho trio. Parker and Jansen elected to be dealt with summarily, but Stephens expressed his desire to bo tried by a jury. Tho magistrate saiil that as the. three men were charged jointly, ho would not waste time by going over the matter twice. He therefore committed tho three men to the Supreme Court.

William Mansill, Harbour Hoard carpenter, described the wrecking of tho barricade. The wreckers had thrown the timber into the harbour. Tho barrier was being erected near the Railway Wharf, and tho steamer Defender was berthed close by.

Sergeant Lewin stated that the barrier was pulled down on the day in question, and that ho saw Parker Assisting to throw portion of tiio barrier into tho harbour. Jansen and Stevens were standing on tho north side of the barrier.

Constable Lumber said that the three accused toijk a leading part in throwing the timber over the wharf. Tho crowd of strikers had been to the Defender trying to induce workers there to cease work.

Constablo Isbister deposed that he saw Parker throwing timber into tho harbour on tho occasion in question. The acevvsctj vAoadcil not Rvvslty, atii\ were committer! to the Supremo Court for trial. Bail in every instance, was fixed at £50, with two sureties of £25 each, or one surety of £50. Mr. Dickson gave notice that, " in ■Stephens's case, ho proposed to set up an alibi. Jans.en Fined and Bound Over, Jansen, one of tho three men charged in the previous case, was also convicted of having used threatening behaviour on tho Queen's Wharf on October !M. He was lined £5, and required to enter into a bond at £50, and find two sureties of £25 each, that ho would keep the peace for six months. P. & 7. stores Riot. William Parker, one of the three men mentioned in the first case, was charged with having encouraged divers persons to assault Constable Peter Fallon and other constables in tho execution of their duty in Waterloo Quay on October 30. Mr. Dickson defended him. Tho occasion was that on which a riot occurred at tho Post and Telegraph Stores. Evidence was given by Sergeant M'Glone, who gave tho story cf tho riot. The rioters pulled down the fence inside which were a number of special constables and their horses. Parker called out: "Come on boys, down with tho fence!" Tho fence was torn down, the specials were stoned, and somo of tho police slightly injured.. Constables Ferguson and Gurdon. who also were present, gave corroborative evidence.

Alexander Munro, wharfinger, stated that Parker was the only man who incited tho mob. Ho (Parker) was walking about in his usual excited manner, and ho twice called oiit to tho others to pull down tho fence. Witness said that accused was an "excitable, Socialistic kind of man."

Constable Fallon deposed that, during tho riot, he was struck on the head by a hard missile,

Parker, who has just completed a sentence of one month's imprisonment for an offence arising out of the strike trouble, was bound over to keep the peace for six months. Parker's bond was fixed at £50, and two sureties of £25 each were required.

CATAPULT MAN. HIS ALIBI-"MINDING THE BABY." __ An alibi' was set up by William Williams, who was charged witli having assaulted certain .mounted special conwho were passing through Post Office Square on November 6.

Detectivo Andrews deposed that ho was in Post Oflieo Square at noon on November (j. Some mounted special constables were passing through, and a hostile crowd had congregated. Ho saw Williams using a catapult to cast stones at the special men. Ho attempted to arrest Williams, who resisted and called on the crowd to help him. Tho detective attracted the attention of Constable Longbottom, but tho crowd rushed him, too, and Williams's arrest wa3 not effected. It was effected, however, on November 29. Witness was positive as to the identity of the defendant.

Constable Longbottom swore positively that Williams was tlio man whom they had endeavoured to arrest.

Tho defendant Williams was then put in the box. Ho denied that lie was in Post Oflieo Square at mid-day on November G. His wifo worked "at Englundh's boardinghouse, and defendant's practice was to go to tiie boardinghouse and mind the baby while Mrs. Williams served the meals. On tho date mentioned in the charge ho had been engaged in minding tho baby from noon till after 1 o'clock.

13. Otto Englundh, proprietor of tho Albermarlo Hotel, was then called. Ho stated that it was almost invariably the practice of Williams to bo at his placo at lunch hour. Ho could not, however, recollect whether Williams kid been there on November C, but on tho other hand he had no clear recollection of his absence,

Mrs. Williams gave evidence somewhat similar to that given by tho witness .Englundh.

Williams was convicted and fined £3 in default fourteen days' imprisonment.

THE FISH STORY. PUT FORWARD AS AN ALIBI. Alexander Johnstone, a watcrsido worker, was charged with having used threatening behaviour whereby a breach of tho peace was occasioned in WaterlooQuay on October 30. Ho pleaded not guilty, and was defended by Mr. Dickson. Constables who had been on duty at tho Post and Telegraph Stores when tho riot occurred there oh October 30 swore that Johnstone was among the rioters and that one of the police took a bar of iron from him. William Mack, James .Black, and George Hardy, friends of tho accused, stated that on October 30 Johnstone was out fishing with them. Johnstone was convicted and fined £5 in default one month's imprisonment, and was required to enter into a £-!U bond, with two sureties of £20 eacii, to keep the peace for Bix months. THE MOTOR DRIVER, SWERVED TOWARDS SPECIALS. Thomas Scnmtmry, tlio driver of amotor wagon, was fined 10s., with Court casts 135., for having failed to stop his vehicle when signalled by a horseman to do so. The prosecution was conducted by the City Solicitor (Mr. J. O'Shea), and Mr. Dickson appeared for tho defendant.

Evidcuco was given to the effect that

I when driving along Waterloo Quay, Seambury tlisrognrdcd signals to stoys, and, increasing his paco swerved towards some mounted special constables, caused their horses to scatter, and very nearly damaged some oi' liio animals. Two of the special men mounted the wagon arid whilo one held the defendant the other shut off steam.

Defendant's answer to the charge was that ho did not hear or sco the, signals to stop. OTHER CASES; WAS THE SPECIALS HORSE HIT? William Cowley, a driver, who was defended by Mr. A. 11. liindmarsli, was charged with having used behaviour calculated to create a breach of the peace, and with having used abusive language, on November li. Stephen Thomas Hunt, a special constable, said that liio circumstances of the case were that-while ho was standing at tho corner of Alien Street and Courtcnay l'laco talking, Cowley drove by, and struck witness's horse", causing it to rear up, and nearly injure Mr. Julius, to whom witness wns speaking. Witness mounted the horse, and rode after Cowley, who refused to give his name, and swore at witness. Witness then Keen red the. services of ?>lounled. Constable Novell, who took defendant's name.

George Hilton Julius stated in evidence that Cowley had hit the horse. Tho charge was denied by Cowley, who asserted that he drove close i.o Hunt's horse, hut did not strike it. He to give Hunt his namn because ho did not know that ho was a special constable.

William Kdward Mack and another witness deposed that they saw Hunt approach Cowley and ask him to stop, but they did not hoar Cowley use obscene language.

At this stage the rase was adjourned til! this morning.

T/ia Last Daso. William .TiißDjiii Collins was romniulod til] Thursday on n chnrgo of having assaulted cRi-lni'ii special constables on November 5. Hail, £25, with oi;« surety of £•&!, was allowed. "LEST WE FORCET." (To the Editor.) Bir, —Tlic follottiiu; paragraph was published in the Sydney "Daily Telegraph" of .Saturday, November 'J2, 1018. As it is of importance to New Zealand at the present time, 1 send this on to you, asking you to insert it in your columns. It is just as well to lot the people of New Zealand see who aro their friend:! and who are helping the strikers in their work. If such things as these are published in Sydney, you cannot blamo thorn for 'their ideas of tho strike in Now Zealand, This is tho paragraph:—

AUSTRALASIAN FEDERATION. "NAPOLEONIC METHOD." "A cablegram has just boon received by the secretary of tho Australasian Federation of Labour (Mr. W. Ilosser) from the secretary of the New Zealand United Labour Federation (Mr. Hickey). It reads as follows:—'Maoriland workers are engaged in a mighty struggle against an armed State and organised scabbory. Thousands of men aro involved, and funds are urgent-' ly needed. Tho Federation appeals.' Wo are viewing with great concern," said Mr. .Rosser, "tho developments in regard to the New Zealand strike We were led to believe that a largo number of unions in the Dominion were notsupporting tho strikers.gbut we have now received information that all the principal unions there are helping cither by ceasing work or by giving financial assistance. Wo are informed further that Sir ,Tosenh Ward and a number of his followers are in sympathy with the men." Labour objected, he said, to the Napoleonic method attempted of endeavouring to smash tho union's one by one, and tho only course left open was to fijjht in ilio mass against the enemy. New South AValcs workers were in entire sympathy with the strikers. Tho Australasian Federation intended to stand to its resolution not to handle "blackleg" goods."—l am, 'A SEEKER OF TRUTH.