COLD COMFORT

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2836, 29 July 1916, Page 2

COLD COMFORT

ANTI-CONSCRII'TIONISTS AND THE CITY COUNCIL. r Representatives of the Anti-Conserip-tion League, to the number of about twentv-five, waited on the City Council 011 Thursday, to voice their views on the council's recent decision prohibiting street meetings and the use of the Town Hall for meetings for the propagation of their There were three speakers. Mr. D. Briiulle spoke of the manner in which people had fought and died for the right of free speech' and thought, and stated that the council's letter in answer to their request was a confession of weakness. The council said that such meetings were calculated to bring about a breach of the peace, when it was their duty to protect any part of the community, however small, from such risks. It was the old, old fight for liberty of speech of which all knew who had read the history, of tho past. They claimed the right "to speak on the subject of anti-conscription, and in so doing he maintained they were doing nothing illegal or unconstitutional. Messrs. J. Edwards and Evans also- spoke on-simi* lav lines. When, the council considered the matter, it was unanimously resolved, without discussion, on the motion of the Mayor, that the council's previous action be confirmed, which meant that'no ant.'conscription meetings are permitted to be held.in the streets or the Town Hall.