SENSATIONAL EXCUSE

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 1, Issue 207, 26 April 1932, Page 6

SENSATIONAL EXCUSE

l Press Assxi.-

STORY TO POLICE RELIEF WORKER FOUND IN POSSESSION OF EXPLOSIYES ATTEMPT TO BLAME OTHERS

— By Telf*iaraph — Cop.yright.)

AUCKLAND, Saturday. A sensational story, unfortunately untrue, and disbelieved by the police, was told to them last week by a relief worker, Thomas Clark Fordyce, aged 38. Fordyce was himself arrested on a charge of being found in possession of explosives, several plugs of gelignite, detonators and fuse, without sufficient and lawful purpose. To this charge he pieaded guilty when he appeared at the Police Court this morning after spending several days in prison on remand. When he first appeared Detective Sergeant Kelly said he doubted whether Fordyce was "compos rnentis," in view of the unusual story he told. He was therefore remanded for medical observation. Counsel for Fordyce said this morning* that the prison surgeon had examined accused and found that he was quite all right. "This raan," said Detective Sergeant Kelly, "had been working for the Mount Eden Borough Council on relief jobs. He had access to explosives. Ile was a member of the Mount Eden Unemployed Association, which is well controlled hy the president and vice-president, neither of whom would permit any offence against law and order. Militant Spirit However, several members have been rather active, and showed a militant spirit. Fordyce was one of these. By some means he got possession of the explosives and he went to the police last week, after the ■ riots, and alleged that he had been given the gelignite by the vice-presi-

dent to throw into windows which had already been smashed, to complete the destruction of the buildings. The eomplaint which Fordyce made was quite untrue. It has also been estabfishad that he had the explosives before .the riot, and that the gelignite, etc., had no connection with the recent trouble. Mr. F. K. Hunt, S.M.: It is just as well. If it had any connection I know vvhat I would have done to him. Detective Sergeant Kelly: I know that since the depression Fordyce has been drinlcing heavily. Evidently he was carried away by the demonstrations and riots and- got too enthusiastic over the whole thing. Fordyce was convicted and discharged, but Mr. Hunt ordered that ha should be prohibited.