MAORILAND WORKER

CHARGE AGAINST JOHN GLOVER

ALLEGED BLASPHEMOUS LIBEL.

LBX "KLEGRAPH —PRESS ASSOCIATION.?

WELLINGTON, Feb. 22

A charge of publishing a blasphemous libel made against John Glover, of the Maoriland Worker, was considered by Mr Justice Hosking and a jury at the Supreme Court this afternoon. Mr Macassey conducted the case for the Crown, and Sir John Findlay, with him Mr Perry, appeared for accused. Both sides were reinforced with large numbers of legal volumes

The alleged blasphemous libel was claimed to be contained in the last three lines of the poem, "Stand to Good Friday Morn,^ published in October by the Maoriland Worker. The lines read: "O Jesus, send me a wound to-day, and I'll believe in your bread and wine, and get my bloody old sins washed white.*''

Mr Macassey said the whole question for the jury was whether these words expressed in good faith and decent language any opinion whatever upon religious subjects, and what was the calculated effect- of the use of the words.

After legal argument the jury returned a verdict of "not guilty."