THE SEDITION CASES.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 16217, 21 May 1918, Page 8

THE SEDITION CASES.

CITY COUNCIL REFUSES TO MOVE IN MATTiiIR. Pursuant to notico of motion, Cr. Sullivan moved as follows at last night's meeting of the City Council: —

"That having regard to all the circumstances of the eases this Council asks the Government to oxerciso its prerogative of clemency and liberate from prison Messrs H. Hunter, E. ELangley and J. Flood, recently sentenced on charges of sedition." Cr. Sullivan said similar motions had been carried by the Timaru Borough. Council and tho Second _ _ Division League, while nearly 9000 citizens had signed the petition for the prisoners' release. Whereas only 5000 people had voted for the Labour Party at the last election, it 'would be seen that .the petition for release was made by all members of the community. Cr. "Wells seconded the motion. She stigmatised it as scandalous that three men should be singled out of a hugp meeting, all of the same mind. Cr. Howard moved as an amendment: "That tho words 'That Bavin g regard to all the circumstances of the cases' be struck out." After certain papers and public men had urged tho women to protest, a public meeting was called. They had on the platform tho Mayor in the'chair, members of Parliament, lawyers, -and men who must he considered level-headed, yet in that meeting which was carried away by itself three men were picked out. A new charge had been laid against them, not sedition, but seditious tendency. That being the case, words of seditious tendency had been uttered in the Council room Langley wa& one of tho men who fought the Laoour candidates for the Council upon the question of conscription, holding that it had nothing to do with municipal politics. Flood had also taken no the same attitude. Not one word of protest was made against the amendment, until tho following morning. Tho men had been tried a week before they were brought into Court, the papers announcing that the Crown Law Office had decided that these men had uttered sedition. That being the case, what else could tho Magistrate do out convict. If those men were guilty, the Mayor of this city was equally guilty. If they should bo' in prison, the Mayor should bo there. Ho did not say for one moment that the Mayor should be there. But neither should these men. They had to take into consideration the fact that the meeting was worked up, and that the resolution was passed at a psychological moment. There was no seconder to the amendment.

The motion was lost by 10 votes to •5, the division list being as follows\ : — For: Crs Sullivan, Peek, Wells, Howard, and the Mayor. Against: Crs. Taylor, Havward, EU, Lonsby, Nioholls, Bennlnnd, Climie, McKellar. Flesher, and Williams.

A mooting of the Now Brighton Second Divis'o" Lfiimie wn.s held last nicrht, the Mayor (Mr F. Kibblewhite) presiding over a poor attendance. The following rrcolu+ion was prised:— "That the New B-iVhton Second Division Loncue rxrns'der? t.Knt the Government should ro'ea.vc Mp«!-s Lnnrify. Flood and Hunter. a« it. is eonsidorod that, the tnen did not rea'ise the import of the resohit : r>n." It was derided n n t to send a to the conference to be held in Wellington.

(PRESS ASSOCIATION' THI.WJRAX.) DtTNEDIX. May 20. A meeting of the Otago branch of tho Amalgamated Sor'ipi y of Raihvy Servants passed a motion emphatically protesting against the harshness ■of tho punishment inflicted on Flood, Langley, and Hunter in Christ"lnirch, and stating that the fact that men prominent in the Labour movement were prosecuted, whilo the Mnyor, who put the motion to the meeting, was not r>rose~uted. tended to shake faith in British justice.