FIVE MEN GAOLED

Hokitika Guardian, 28 May 1932, Page 5

FIVE MEN GAOLED

FOR RAID ON FOOD

FOURTEEN FINED £lO EACH

By Telegraph—Per Pies Association )

HUNTLY, May 27. Five of the ring-leaders in the raid on tlie Huntiy branch of the Farmers’ Trading Coys ..store on May 13 by a crowd of the unemployed, were sentenced to three months’ imprisonino.it. by Mr F. X. Levoin, S.M., ill the Hunt-' Jy Magistrate's Court.

Another fourteen, who participated in tlie looting, were fined £lO, or, in default, one mouth's imprisonment. The accommodation of tlie small Court building was fully taxed by the prisoners and officials. None of the outside public were admitted inside the court precincts throughout the lengthy hearing, which occupied the greater part of the day. A large, curious crowd, among whom were the wives and relatives of the accused, waited outside the Court on the footpath in front of tlie courthouse, and there were hundreds more

people congregated on the. roadway overlooking the side of the building. They followed the day’s proceedings through the side windows of the court. As the men left tho building, with a strong police guard, they were cl leered, and were surrounded by their friends, who followed the prisoners down, to the Railway Station.

Prior to the train’s departure for Auckland, a .section of the crowd on the platform, who had all along been calling out words of encouragement, ’'.nined lustily in singing “The Red Flag.” The train drew out to the accompaniment of boos and cheers. Tho lengthy evidence showed that, following on a meeting of tlie unemployed, a crowd of between seventy and eighty entered tlie .store, and asked for credit, and for goods to the value of £SO to b e charged to th e Hospital Board. On tlie manager’s refusal, a show of hands was taken, as the result of which the men commenced helping themselves, filling sacks and other receptacles with groceries and other stores.

The manager and his assistants identified the prisoners as persons who participated in the raid.

’The evidence, showed that Horatio Gw indy'ls and (fry n'ey Kinson entered the .store with the men in an endeavour to persuade others from stealing goods. Sutherland Peden said that he had entered the store out of curio.’tity, and had taken no part in the looting. The information in these three cases were dismissed. ’

On a charge of inciting lawlessness, the following were .sentenced to three months’ hard labour; David Fuiter, Albert Allen, Raymond Richards, Joseph Bincham, James Stirling. The following, in addition to five previous accused, were fined £lO, or in default one month’s imprisonment, on a theft charge'-: Henry Fehsenfeid, Joseph Scott, Moodie Ewan, David Davies, Idris Davies, Robert Kaweron, Heta Tarawhiti, Peter Raumate, Gray Karoa, Joseph Rarryman, Taiki Whin, Edward Green, Francis George Stevens and Thomas Morgan.