A RANDOM SHOT

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2276, 9 October 1914, Page 7

A RANDOM SHOT

INCIDENT IN THE STRIKE. Theca6eof Arthur John Dockery, a young man who was shot during a strike riot in Webb Street at the end of last year, was referred to in the House of Representatives _ yesterday. This young man was injured by.a revolver shot m the shoulder, in the course of a riot one night at the time of the disorder which accompanied the watereiders' strike. Ho petitioned- Parliament for compensation in respect of his injuries, but in the course of his petition he stated that the shot which injured him was fired by a special constable. When the committee brought down a favourable recommendation some weeks ago, it was referred back, and at the time of the reference back the objection made to the finding was that it cast an xinwarranted'reflection on the conduct of special constables. Tho committee reported again yesterday, and their recommendation was "that . the petition be referred to the Government for favourable consideration.".

In the debate which followed the pre, scntatio'n of tho report, it was.pointed out that the young man was not a striker or' a rioter, and that when he was hurt ho was out collecting music fees due to his mother. Messrs. Atmore, Webb, and Payne emphasised tie fact that Commissioner Cullen, of the Police, had statedVin his report that the young man was one of tho rioters, and condemned his statement as having been misleading. Mr. Buick said that it was beyond question that the young man was amongst the rioters, and asked pertinently .'"What was ho doing there? Did any of those rioters owe his mother money?" The Prime Minister snid that he had looked into the case of tho petitioner, and had learned that ho waß a respeotablo citizen, that he.belonged to a respectable family, and that he had nothing to do with tho riots. The Government would thorefore give effect to the recommendation of the committee. The opinion of other members who spoke was that.' there was no evidence to show who fired the shot, and no evidence to show that a special constable fired it.