KINGSTON'S GRIME.

THE NELSON NASTINESS.

Judge Prohibits Publication.

Some Comments Thereon.

At the Nelson Supreme Court on Monday, Mr Justice Detmiston marked h»s disapprobation of a man going round the countryside and debauching innocence under the guise of a beneficent healer, by sentencing William Henry Joseph Kingston to fourteen years' imprisonment. Kingston's offence was admittedly a grave one, for he used his imaginary powers as a magnetic heater to tamper with a simple young woman who was under his treatment. The preliminary proceedings' revealed tbe fact that Kingston was a publio menace on account of his dangerous quack pretentions, but those of the public who did not read the Police Court reports published m "Truth" and other, newspapers must temain m the dark as to the circumstances of this extraordinary case, lor Judge Uenniston placed an embargo on the press where the higher Court trial was concerned, by prohibiting the publication of the evidence.

"Truth" feels called upon, m the true function of the press to guard public morality, to question the wisdom of this judicial prohibition. "Truth" considers it inadvisable that a man accused of a sexual offence, should be convicted and sentenced to what is compionly called "a life stretctr" without the fullest publicity being given to the circumstances which led to the severity of the sentence. Surely, this exercise of his Honor's discretion m prohibiting the publication of such facts as would convince a discerning public of tne justice or otherwise of a sentence of l* years' gaol, is open to question. The fact remains that Kingston has been most severely punished for his carnal crime, aai, while not deploring the severity, "Truth" regrets that it is unable, under New Zealand's harsh, lopsided puritanical laws, to publish the evidence, and to point out that the seventy did not seem altogether warranted. Additional facts and evidence may have been brought out at the Supreme Court trial that warranted the full rigor of the law applied. The press is prohibited from informing the public whether this was so. The proscription of evidence m serious criminal offences will, sooner or later, hamper the proper course ol Justice. It is monstrous tg think that ignorant honorary Magistrates are vested witfc the same discretionary powers as Supreme Court Judges. Under tbe existing iron-bouird repression of a puritanic sway, no newspaper dare take a risk, and the consequence is that m cases where the press should be up m arms for the public weal, it is crippled and defenceless, and must silently acquiesce m what might be a grave miscarriage.

"Truth," from the information available, can come to no other conclusion than that the man Kingston, scoundrel and imposiier though ho be, has received a deal ol justice that were the embargo of cruel silence lifted from the press, might call for a review by Parliament. The evidence has disclosed no shocking story of outraged innocence, for what did taJcc place was with the consent of the young woman. The preliminary trial disclosed no reason why Kingston should receive such a severe sentence. "Truth 1 ' .has "not the slightest wish to sympathise with the convicted man. He is a "dangerous scoundrel, and deserving of some punishment, as tne evidence elicited proved, but what must be emphasised is the fact that this man being such a scoundrel is all the more reason why everytuing m connection with his conviction should receive the widest publicity. If a man is morally a leper, and because be is a teper, surely tbe public, -which has to lie protected, should know why 'it is being protected.

Had Kingston been sentenced to any moderate term of imprisonment, comment might not have been so necessary, though toe curtailment of the broad principle otpress publicity makes it as desirable. But on the facts of the case so far as "Truth" knows them, the sentence ol 14 years': Imprisonment appears excessive. Kingston was one of those specious, scoundrelly quacks, who styled himself a psy,cho-metricist and 'magnetic healer." In the guise of a cure-all, Kingston imposed on the credulity of simple-minded, country follc. He professed to work all sorts of wonders on the victims ol his lascivious nature. If the sentence was imposed because the man was a humbug, and had been guilty of sexual offences while carrying out his metfical deceptions, there was some justification tor it, but this is just what the press doesn't know. Humbugs of the Kingston type are far too numerous m New Zealand. It is a remarkable fact, and history bears testimony to the laot, that the more hypocritical and parson or priest-ridden a community is, the greater tfie credulity of the people. Superstition was ever a sign ol.a low intellectual standard. Magnetic healers are to be found everywhere m New Zealand m different guises.

If it Is that Mr Justice Uenniston hopes* by infliction of heavy sentences, to strike terror into the hearts of magnetic humbugs and charlatan^ generally, tb©n his Honor has done a meritorious public service. But "Truth" is not certain that such ,was his Honor's intention, and cannot say it is owing to the aforesaid prohibition. Humbugs and charlatans will ever thrive where free from the lash of an upright and humbug-hating press, it is something accompliShed, of course, to even let the publio kn o w that a magnetic healing humbug has received his deserte m full, but "Truth" cannot refrain fr o m mentioning the unfortunate fact ttat it As not so very long ago that another healing fraud m Uhristchurch was found guilty of the manslaughter of a "Young rran, and the sentence then imposed was a few months 1 imprisonment. . "Truth" deplores that m our Supreme Court judges there exists such a distrust of the press of JNew Zealand that.it is not allowed to expose, by publication o t the evidence m such cases as Kingston's, such chousing chariatanic cheats, who worm themselves into "the inner circles of a simply country f a mily and deliberately seduce virtue.