NEW GUARD LEADER.

Press, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20551, 20 May 1932, Page 11

NEW GUARD LEADER.

CROWN APPEAL DISMISSED. CRITICISM OF POLITICIANS. (Received May 19th, 9 p.m.) SYDNEY, May 19. The State Full Court dismissed the appeal by the Grown in the Eric Campbell case arising out of the speech made by the New Guard leader in which he scathingly criticised Mr J. T. Lang, who was not present on that occasion. The Magistrate convicted Colonel Campbell for using insulting words. Certain policemen giving evidence said that the words used by Campbell were insulting to them. Campbell upon appeal upset his conviction and the Grown then appealed and decision thereupon was given to-day. The Chief Justice (Sir P.. W. Street), delivering the judgment of the Full Court, said the Statiffce was not meant to punish persons for using words calculated to insult persons not present or uttered where there were no persons present closely connected with the person said to be insulted. The appeal was therefore dismissed. The decision is regarded as being most important in legal circles. [The statements complained of in the original charge against Colonel Erie Campbell, Leader of the New Guard, were the follovring references to the then Premier, Mr J. T. Lang: "A nasty tyrant and a scoundrel"; "A buffoon at the head of affairs"; and "The hated '.old man of the sea' ". Campbell, who was convicted and fined £2, appealed, and his appeal was upheld by the Chief Justice in the Supreme Court.]