FIERY SPEECH.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLVII, Issue 6, 4 December 1926, Page 2

FIERY SPEECH.

M.P. FINED £25. CONSTABLE AS REPORTER. LONDON, Nov. 22. When Mr D. Kirkwood, the Labour M.P. for Dumbarton, who was charged with making an inflammatory speech at a miners’ meeting in Derbyshire, arrived at the court to-day for the further hearing of the case he was enthusiastically cheered. When'Police Constable Clark, in his evidence, read from longhand notes, which reported Kirkwood as saying they would not flood the pits', but would destroy them, and adding, “to hell with the mines,” counsel for tho defence asked whether Clark was able successfully to report in longhand. Clark agreed to try, and Kirkwood rattled off’ a speech in broad Scots accent. Clark gave up the attempt, saying that Kirkwood spoke English at the meeting. Kirkwood then spoke more slowly, but when Clark got down five words he admitted that when he took the notes lie was writing inside liis overcoat, because it was not advisable to write openly. Tho Bench, of eleven magistrates, which included three Labour supporters, fined Kirkwood £25, and costs. He was allowed a week to pay.