RIOTER’S PLEA

Hokitika Guardian, 23 April 1932, Page 5

RIOTER’S PLEA

ROUGH LANGUAGE BY POLICE. MAGISTRATE IS NOT IMPRESSED. (By Telegraph—Per Press Association) AUCKLAND, April 21. “Some of these men are very brave when they are about 100 or so strong auj make a disturbance, but get them on their own and they cry like babies, as this man is doing,” so said Mr I K. Hunt, S.M., in the Magistrate’s Court this morning. He was re erring to Albert Edward Ottley, aged thirtythree, a seaman, who was charged with inciting lawlessioss in Karangahape Road on Frida,/. Ottley cried like a child and his counsel had tile greatest difficulty in keeping him quiet. He pleaded not guilty. A constable said that Ottley lived in Takapuna and was present at the rict in Newton last Friday night. Witness saw him in front of the crowd hooting and abusing the police. He was advised to go back home to Takapuna, but did not leave till late': - . "Mr Hunt: Do you’meali to tell Hie you vvefe absolutely quiet atid the donstable spoke to you without ally reason ?

“Yo s,” replied accused. “The way lm spoke to pig caused me to make u complaint to the Mayor of Takapuna when I got home at 9.30. The Mayor told me to complain to the Police Superintendent.”

“I suppose you went to the Mayor because you knew you had got into trouble,” said Mr Hunt. A man with a sick wife and family had no right up in Newton at the riot.

A Takapuna solicitor who was in CoueY mid that Ovtley’s baric was worse than his bite and lie was not a bad sort of fellow.’’

“If that’s the ease. I will only make the sentence a month instead of three,” said the Magistrate.