The Sedition Cases,

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 16216, 20 May 1918, Page 6

The Sedition Cases,

It is understood that the case or Langley, Flood, and Hiram Hunter, convicted of sedition, will come before the . full Cabinet for consideration to-morrow. We have already expressed a hope that the men will now be released on their giving an undertaking to be of good behaviour in the future. Unfortunately the Lyttelton Wharf Labourers' "Union, by holding a stop-work meeting, and demanding the release of the accused persons, have made it exceedingly difficult for the Government to extend the clemency of the Crown to the defendants in question. It is another case of "Save me from my friends." Whatever happens the Government must show no sign of weakness at this juncture, and give 110 encouragement to the idea that they are to be deflected by political agitation and pressure from their supreme duty or stamping out sedition and safeguarding the security of the realm. We believe, however, they can afford to disregard the ill-advised action of the' wharf labourers in this instance, and deal with the case entirely on its own merits. There is no doubt that the resolution was seditious, and that therefore the conviction was right. | There is A however, reason to believe

that the men did not know it was seditions, and there is tho strong fact that the Mayor, who might be supposed to be in a better position for cool consideration, did not recognise it as seditious. There is also the important point in their favour that the resolutions were not the outcome of any previous anti-militarist campaign on their part. They are law-abiding citizens, and their case is totally different from that of a professional seditionmonger like the man Chappie. We think that it is a fair case for the exercise of the Crown's prerogative of mercy, and we hope that Ministers will advise his Excellency to that effect.