SOUGHT ARREST

Hokitika Guardian, 1 June 1932, Page 8

SOUGHT ARREST

RELIEF WORKER GOES TO POLICE

WINDOW-SMASHING THREAT

WELLINGTON, May 30.

Going into the Lower Hutt l’olicc Station about 11 o’clock one evening, Edwin Bishop Edwards, relie. worker, aged 33, requested to be arrested on - a charge of being drunk and disorderly. On being told by the constable in charge that such procedure was impossible in view of the fact that he was quite sober, Edwards threatened to go out and break shop windows. He was accordingly arrested, and appeared at the Petone Magistrate’s Court yesterday before Mr W. H. Wodward, S.M., on a charge of being suspected of being about to commit a crime, to’ wit, the wilful breaking of shop windows. Edwards, pleaded Previously Edwards had been fined £5, for refusing to leave a house in Moera, and had been given a chance to obtain another house. Senior-Sergeant Butler said de Cendant had been before the court from time to time. When Edwards had requested to he locked up the constable had reasoned with him for oyer an hour, but without avail. “Why did you threaten to take this action?” asked the Magistrate. “I thought that if I got imprisonment m3' wile and children would he provided for,’’ replied Edwards. “That was the only reason.” Your only object throughout was to get a home for your wife and children ? —“Yes.” You had some prospect of getting a house when you were last before the court?—“Yes, but they wanted too much rent.” “I.have been in touch with n land agent who seems to think that a nhu-e could he made available for you.” observed the MagisWite. “There must lie seme finality about this business. 1 will give you until t-his afternoon to see if you can obtain a house. As you threatened to commit a crime you must enter into a Cognisance of £5.” On appearing before the court Mer Edwards intimated that he had succeeded in getting a house, the rent of which had been reduced 2s fid. <‘\Vhat about the window, smashing?” asked the Magistrate. “That’s washed out,” was the reply. “You will got no sympathy-by-smash-ing windows and it would only produce an .unpleasant situation. Others misrhf; 1 p involved and start trouble. You are convicted and discharged on the window-smashing count.”