WITHOUT A PERMIT.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 60, Issue 45, 2 December 1939, Page 2

WITHOUT A PERMIT.

PACIFIST’S STREET MEETING. (Per Press Association). WELLINGTON, December Air J. L. Stout, ,S.M., reserved his decision in ,a charge against Michael Young, a. printer, of wilfully obstructing a public place 'by holding a .meeting and with aiding in the commission of negligent obstruction by a crowd Young pleaded not guilty. The police evidence was that Chew’s Lane was obstructed by a- crowd to which the accused) was speaking. He replied to a constable that he did not have a- permit and the constable asked him to move along. The accused asked the crowd, to form a lane to allow through traffic, but it did not do so and the accused refused to move. The constable was joined by two other police officers and the accused said he had made his point and moved on. When a constable said that the accused Was dealing with matters connected with the war and some sayings were very close to sedition, Mr Stout remarked that the man was not charged with sedition. The accused, in the witness box, said the meeting was an anti-war meeting. He thought there was moire behind the action of the police than obstruction. It seemed to he more of an attempt to prevent people who were pacifists from expressing their opinions. He had been unable l to obtain a permit from the City Council.