UNDER STRONG GUARD

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 1, Issue 200, 16 April 1932, Page 5

UNDER STRONG GUARD

(Press Assn.-

41 MEN CHARGED

— By Telegraph— Copyright.)

AUCKLAND, Friday. Unprecedented scenes were witnessed this morning when 41 men who had been arrested during the night and early morning on various charges, made their appearance at the Police Court. The authorities were not taking any chances of the mob endeavouring to create trouBle at the Court. and perhaps making an attempt to rescue the arrested men. A strong naval cordon of Royal Marines and bluejackets, as- : sisted hy police and special constables, was formed about the Court, and it was impossible to get through the lines unless one had some business at the Court. Still, members of the public made an appearance in the portion of the Court reserved for them. The arrested men were brought down in several police vans. Mr. F. K. Hunt. S.M., presided and Sub-Inspector Gibson, in charge of detectives. prosecuted in all cases. Serious Charges The first case called was that of George Joseph Silva, an Englishman charged with assaulting Constable W_. Cook and Detective S. C. Whitehead while in the exeeution of their duty and inciting lawlessness. . "Both these officers are dangerbusly ill in hospital and there may be more serious charges preferred against Silva later on," said Sub-Inspeetor Gibson, who obtained a remand until April 22. . . Worst Of Lot" A young man named Leonard Roherts was the next to enter the dock

to admit stealing 5 cigars arid a hottle of whisky. Detective-Sergeant McHugh said he" was with Detective Brady, and saw Roberts hreak a window and enter shop. 'He was filling his pockets with loot, and we had to pull him right out of the window," said the detective-sergeant. "He kicked and punched us, and called out to the crowd to come to his assistance. We kept the crowd back at the point of a gun, and when we handcuffed Roberts, he cried like a frog to make out that he was huft, hut still the crowd did not come on. Roberts is the worst of the lot." Roberts was sent to' gaol for three months. Th'ief and "Special" Despite the serious nature of the proeeedings there was mueh laughter concerning the case. of Edward Huia Toroa, a Maori, charged with stealing clothing and 'rlngs worth £4, and further that he was an iflle and disorderly person, found by, night armed with a .22 rep'eating rifle and bludgeon. Toroa pleaded guilty to the first charge. . , , gub-Inspector Gibson said Be would offer no evidence on the other charge 'Toroa was acting as a special constable and had a rifle on his shoulder and a haton in his hand. Aft6r helping himself to some goods he then joined up witB the police .again He's not a bad sort of fellow." (Laughter.) Toroa, for tlieft, was fined £5, or 6rie month's imprisonment. , , . Th6 ma j ority of the nien were charged with looting, and these were flned £5, -With £10 for the worst cases., Eight other men, charged with unlawful assembly, were remanded. . George D e ver eaux, said ; to h e on© of the unemployed leader s, , wgs charged with striking a constable, and was remanded for one week.