OBSTRUCTED A STREET

Press, Volume LXXVI, Issue 22910, 5 January 1940, Page 10

OBSTRUCTED A STREET

PACIFIST MEETING IN WANGANUI SPEAKER FINED £3 (PESSS ASSOCIATION TEEESBAK.) WANGANUI, January 4. Archibald Charles Barrington, aged 34, Dominion secretary of the Workers' Educational Association, a resident of Wellington, who was arrested yesterday afternoon when giving a pacifist address at a street meeting in Wanganui was charged in the Magistrate's Court to-day with obstructing the police in the execution of their duty, and with obstructing the street. He was ordered to come up for sentence if called on on one charge, and fined £3 on the other. Defendant, who conducted his own defence, said the streets could be put to other legitimate uses than for traffic. Police evidence was that some of the crowd objected to the speaker's remarks. He was ordered by a constable to move on, but declined. A fellow pacifist then stood on the box and said: -"This is the freedom which we are against." A constable here interrtroted the pair, and debated for a few moments. ~ The would-be speaker was persuaded to move from the street and continue the address in Queen's Park. After Ms arrest the Rev. J. F. Martin, of the Methodist Church, Aramoho. who had previously said to the crowd that he was proud to call these men Ms friends, took over the speaking. The crowd gave him a more generous hearing, though there were still interjections. He was also told to move along by a plainclothes constable, and complied. The Magistrate, Mr A. S. Coleman, said the motive of the speakers had nothing to do with the Court wMch only had to decide if the gathering of the crowd to hear the speeches obstructed the street He was satisfied that it did, *td that an accident might have occurred. *