"RED AID"

Evening Post, Volume CXIV, Issue 120, 17 November 1932, Page 13

"RED AID"

FUNDS FROM BERLIN

COMMUNIST ACTIVITIES

SURPRISING- EVIDENCE

Connecting links between' the Communist Party of New Zealand, the Labour Defence League, the Unemployed Workers' Union, and the International Red Aid of Berlin were brought to light by the police at the Magistrate's Court yesterday afternoon, when Philip Gordon Brazier and Stuart McColl were charged with stealing money from the Labour Defence League, an organisation of which they were president and secretary respectively. In addition to the fact that the Labour Defence League was in receipt of funds from Berlin it-was disclosed that Mr. S. W.-Fitzherbert, a well-knowii Wellington solicitor, had been acting as treasurer of the league. The association between the Labour Defence League and the Communist Party was shown by a letter covering a draft of the constitution of the Labour Defence League signed by persons giving the initials "E.F.G." and "N.W.," and stamped "Communist Party of New -.Zealand—Third International—Central Executive." The letter read as follows:— Communist Party of New Zealand, 16Gd, Vivian street, Wellington. "To all groups and members at large. 'Dear Comrades, —The importance of the Labour Defence League in the present stage of the class struggle in this country cannot be underestimated. This matter is being taken up by the party faction in the national executive of the Unemployed Workers' Movement and it is expected that the Labour; Defence League will be reformed and pushed forward via the trade union and legal defence committees of that body. . . ." "Support must not be looked for through circulars to trade-union officials, although . some of these may- assist. Time must not be lost in circularising these officials. It is far more important to get L.D.L. approach through rank and file. For this reason all likely trade union sympathisers and supporters must be located and urged to obtain the support of their organisations. ... "Enclosed is a .copy of an extract from a letter from the I.R.A. which makes the position clear, also a copy of a draft constitution to be used as a basis for adoption at the conference which we consider should be worked for the end of July as a preliminary to working a delegation to go to the World Conference in November. "We require a report of what has been done within a week. With Communistic greetings ..." The letter is then signed in the-manner described. Continuing his evidence after "The Post" went to press yesterday, Edward Bowen, a member of the committee of the Labour Defence League, said that as a result of a further cable from Berlin on Bth October he visited Mr. Fitzherbert, and as a result of what he was told asked that no further money should be drawn from the account. On sth November witness met Brazier in the street,, and told him that Mrs. Robinson, the mother of a "class war" prisoner, was in poor circumstances. He asked Brazier whether there was any money to help her. Brazier replied: "There isn't enough money for an'office of our own—let alone for Mrs. Robinson." CASHING OF CHEQUES. Sydney W. Fitzherbert, -barrister and solicitor, of Wellington, said that in May or June,'. 1932, he was approached and asked if he would act as treasurer for the league. He agreed .to do this. Witness explained that he did not join the organisation himself,. but agreed to look after its money. , About 29th June he received a £10 note as a donation for the league from the. Seamen's Union, and £1 from the Millerton miners for the same purpose." '■'• "• '" . ■■-.■' - .. On. 29th September McColl and Brazier called at his office and said that they wanted to draw a cheque, but had to be identified at the bank. Witness went round to the Union Bank with them and identified them, and they cashed the cheque. They told him that they were going to open a fresh account, and witness suggested that they should open it at the Post Office, where they would get interest arid would avoid bank charges. The cheque that was cashed was for about £88, They said they would pay in £78 and take the balance for .expenses. On 7th October they drew out the sum of £15. Witness pointed out to them at the time that his brother, Mr. P. B. Fitzherbert, had done a lot of work defending people in connection with the disturbances, and had not been adequately remunerated. It was agreed that he should be paid something. On 18th October £17 12s was withdrawn from the Post Office Savings Bank, and £12 12s was given to Mr. P. B. Fitzherbert. The sum of £5 was handed by witness to McColl. Witness then gave details of smaller amounts that had been withdrawn from time to time by Brazier and McColl. The balance still in the account, he said, was £30 Bs. McColl had never accounted to him for the 100 dollars, and there was no record of a sum of £44 that had been withdrawn from the account. Witness said he regarded the" two accused as responsible officers of the league. He thought that any money : they received would be paid to the dependants of prisoners. His relations with the accused had been simply as solicitor and clients. FOREIGN MONEY. Joseph Muldownie said he was appointed a member of the Labour Defence League on sth July, of .this year. About September a registered letter arrived at the office of the league during the absence of the secretary McColl. Witness held the letter until two other cojpm'itteemen, Allen and Napp, arrived. Allen was vicepresident of the league, and he suggested that they should open the letter in the presence of two. They opened the letter and found that it contained five 20-dollar bills, together with a note written in «?5 C • Witness thought the note read: Ijrom your grand friends. On receipt of this please acknowledge as soon as possible. ' In the presence of Napp and Allen witness later handed McColl the money and etter suggesting that McColl should acknowledge, the money and deposit it with Mr Fitzherbert. Two days afterwards he said that it was still in his possession, but that he would hand it over to Mr Fitzherbert Later, before a committee, he said that he had handed the money to irrn i,tzs ie jbert- T° witness's knowledge Mcboll had never accounted for the money Witness knew nothing about a national executive of the Labour Defence league. No national executive meetine to 1932 "* Wellinston on 14t1' SeptemTHE NATIONAL CONFERENCE. John Sandford, an original member of the labour Defence League, said that neither of the two accused had ever.advised him of the receipt of money from overseas. No national conference of the league was held on 14th September-wit-ness knew that because he was a member of the committee that had been set up to arrange for the conference, and it had never transpired owing/to Brazier, who was the orgftinser, falling down on his job. Other members of tho league committee Charles Maurico Brooks, Arthur Allen and John James Porter, gave similar evidence.

James 1. Bushrell, an officer in the employ^ of the Post and Telegraph Department, said he had the two original telegrams referred to by the witness Bowen and would produce them at the Supreme Court.

Charles I'roderick McAllum, a teller at the Union Bank of Australia, Wellin-'ton said that his bank received a cable on 22nd September to pay the New Zealand Defence League the sum of £88 8s 3d. On 29th September McColl signed a cheque, and the money was withdrawn.

THE ACCUSED'S VERSION. i Detective N. W. Bayliss said that when he interviewed the accused McColl, he made a Btatement in which he said he was a native of Australia and had been in New Zealand for 11 years.' On 14th September he attended a national conference of the Labour Defence League. There were only six or eight present, and ho was appointed secretary of the executive. Brazier had been appointed president. They had both ,been granted an, honorarium j>£ roughly

£1 per week. He had the minutes of the meeting but he would hand them over to the police. It was true that there was only £30 Ss in the account, but he declined to explain the nature of his disbursements as he considered he would be failing in his duty to the national executive, to whom he was responsible. Brazier was also interviewed and he supported McColl's statement about the executive meeting on 14th September. He also declined to give any account of what had I been done with the money as he was responsible only to the national executive, which m turn was responsible to the international executive, Berlin. AIMS OF LEAGUE. Detective Bayliss produced a document relating to the Labour Defence League. It stated • that the organisation was known as the Labour Defence League, New Zealand Section of the International Red Aid, and gave an account of its aims and obligations. Amongst the latter the organisation was to arrange for the adoption of political ( emigres in ' other countries by groups of workers, L.D.L. groups and others, to organise widespread campaigns against persecutions in this or other capitalistic colonial and semi-colonial countries, and to give moral and financial aid wherever possible to such victims of persecutions.

In addition to the covering letter produced by the detective there were numerous other documents giving full instructions as to the methods of organising the Labour Defence League. Before the accused Were committed for trial Brazier submitted that there was not sufficient evidence to warrant them being committed to the Supreme Court. The presiding Justices, Messrs. Dunbar Sloane, J.P., and L. J. McDonald, J.P., held, however, that there was a case to answer, and the two accused, who pleaded not guilty, were committed for trial. Bail was fixed in each case at £200, with sureties of £200. In the event of their getting their liberty m the meantime they were ordered to report daily to.the police.