SUBVERSION CHARGE

Press, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23086, 31 July 1940, Page 5

SUBVERSION CHARGE

♦ MAN REMANDED FOR SENTENCE IFBJBafI iSSOCIATTO* rELESBAM.) AUCKLAND, July 30. Parts of a speech made at an open air meeting during the Auckland West by-election campaign were the subject of a charge of making subversive statements heard by Mr Justice Fair and a jury at the Supreme Court. The accused was Alexander Drennan, a waterside worker, who pleaded not guilty. The four statements complained of were alleged to have been made at an open air meeting held under the auspices of the Communist Party on May 10. They referred to the alleged bringing in of laws in order to stifle the truth from becoming apparent to the masses, and alleged that emergency laws had become necessary to crush the growing opposition to capitalism. The accused was alleged to have said that he was throwing his whole effort behind efforts to stop the war. In addressing the jury, the accused dealt at length with the character of the meeting, saying that its whole object was to get votes'for the Communist candidate. After a brief retirement, the jury returned a verdit of guilty, adding a strong recommendation to mercy on the grounds that the speech was made in the heat of an election campaign. In remanding the' accused for sentence. his Honour said he would give the greatest weight to the' recommendation.