FREE SPEECH.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIX, Issue 41, 16 February 1918, Page 6

FREE SPEECH.

VSVER WAR. RESTRICTIONS,

THE FEILDIN'G ASSMJLT

MINISTER'S REPLY TO DEPIUTATIOX (By Telegraph—Own Correspondent.) WELLINGTON, thus day. A deputation from the ProtesanV Political Association waited upon the Minister tor Justice regarding assaults upon two clergymen, who were appaivi'.tly mistaken lor the Rev. Howard Elliott as they left a. meeting addressed by V'he latter at Feilding. Particular reference was made to the case of assault oh ilt,. Elliott at Auckland, and the Feilding as-, sault was regarded as having been largely influenced by Court proceedings in the former case.

The Rev. Knowlea Smith said the deputation did not approach the .Minister with any feeling of sectarian bitterness, nor had they anything to say agairigt their Roman Catholic fellow citizens. The Roman Catholic Federation was a much older body than the Protestant Political Association, and there had yet to be chronicled any attempt to disturb any meetings of the former body or to assault any of its speakers. The deputation wished to call attention to a diabolical assault committed on two Protestant ministers while they were returning to their homes after the meeting at Feilding. The assaults were, of such a serious character that they might have resulted in murder. This was the second time that the Dominion had witnessed a cold-blooded assault <m Protestant ministers. The first was that on the Rev. Howard Elliott, and the second on two clergymen who were by no means prominent members of the association, but. lie believed, had not previously attended any of its meetings. Surely it was a very grave state of affairs -when Protestant -ministers had to face the possibility of being assaulted when they took upon themselves the privileges of ordinary citizens, in an endeavonT to -relieve the "Dominion from the machinations of a minority in the community.

MAGISTRATE'S REMARKS CRITICISED.

Mr. Knowles Smith drew special attention to the remarks made by Mr. F. V. Frazer, S.M.. in Auckland in the first assault case. Mr Rnowles said the Magistrate stated, in effect, that Mr. -Howard Elliott got all he deserved, or part of what he deserved. "That statement was viewed "with great alarm by the Chief Justice," Mr. Knowles Smith continued, " for on the following day he made an emphatic statement in opposition to it. Mr. S. E. McCarthy. S.M., also viewed it with concern, "because he quoted it afterwards, and said that it was not his view. The ■statement of MrFrazer was practically an incitement to a section of the community that they could go on doing this sort of tiling, and they had evidently read it as such." Had either of these assaults resulted in the death of the -victim, then, m his opinion, the statement of Mr. Fnazer would have contributed to his dearCh. Mr. Knowles Smith asked why it wai. that a magistrate should be allowed so far to forget the position he occupied as to express a, personal opinion, which practically gave warrant for such an affair as had occurred at Feilding. THREATS OF REPRTSAiS. There was. added the speaker, a strong feeling of resentment among members of the association, and it was only with the utmost difliculty that they we're held in check. The feeling of their people was tltnt if this sort of thing was to continue, they would hnve tc make reprisals, and this feeling was growing very strong. The deputation asked the Minister to sec that his Department took such measures as would prevent a recurrence of what had taken plaor. They recognised that he had difficulties, and those difficulties were part of the reason for their organisation. At Fcilding il would ho impossible to find tlie assailants of those ministers, "because there were so many men in the Department who did not wish to find them.

Mr. YVilford: I Cannot listen to that. Mr. Smith: Well. I p.m saying it. Mr. Wilford: It is no use taking up that attitude.

Mr. Smith repeated that he was only stating facts.

Messrs. G- Dilbr, Dominion secretary of the association, .T. Aston, and G. Pothcriek and the Hon. j. T. Earnshaw, M.L.C. also spoke in support of the deputation's demands. AN INDICTABLE OFFENCE. Mr. Wilford. in reply, said lie was glad to have the opportunity to express his opinion. .As Minister for Justice lie had no religion and no sect. He met them as a deputation of citizens of New Zealand, earing nothing in his administration of justice -what their religion might he. He had already taken this matter in hand ; and had considered it his duty, from the reports of what -had taken place, to take ■steps to discover the men who had committed the assault on the two clergymen. From the statements lie had of the injuries sustrtinvd by them, the offence with which the accused men •would be charged would be indictable offence*, to be dealt with by the Supreme Court. QUESTION OF FIIEE SPEECH. His plain duty was to preserve law and order in such a manner as to allow every citizen to go freely about his business without let or hindrance. The question free .speech was variously construed. There was a class of speech, especially in war time, which he would do his very! bt.-t to prevent. Officers and men of tire police force, however, would be available to protect public speakers in public places from interruption, so that they ■might have opportunity lo make their views known either to their own friends or to tlie public at large so long as they did not preach 'sedition or revolt. All lie could do was to put the law in motion and to follow it up with every possible method to sheet home to the wrongdoer his wrongdoing. CANNOT TAKE SIDES. "As to wnether you should be an association or not.' , Mr. Wilford concluded, "as to whether the Catholic Federation should carry o:i. 1 am not going to concern myself. Directly I begin to take sides, a.s Minister for Justice, J become unlit for the position. J cannot listen to aiiyUiing eaid about the members of the police force. J believe them to he honest. men. r regard them simply as men in my Department, and do not consider what thei: religion is." BRANCH OF P.P.A. FORMED. , CBy Telegraph.—Press Association.) HASTCs'GS, this day. The fie.v. Howard Elliott addressed a meeting of about two hundred here last night. There -was no disturbance of any kind, and it -was unanimously resolved to form a Hastings branch of the Protestant Political Association.