SEQUEL TO A PUBLIC MEETING

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 60, 4 December 1917, Page 7

SEQUEL TO A PUBLIC MEETING

CHARGES UNDER THE WAR REGULATIONS ACT. (Rec. December 3, 9.50 p.m.) Sydney, December 3. Under tho War Precautions Act two charges were preferred against J. S. Catts for making statements at a public meeting likely to prejudice His Majesty's relations With foreign Powers. Catts, in evidence, said thathis speech really consisted of quotations from various papers, and not expressions of his own opinion. . The case was adjourned till Friday. —Press Aesn. ~ [Last week Catts was charged with making at a public meeting a verbally false statement likely to affect the judgment of electors in relation, to their votes on the conscription referendum. The statement complained of was that a Sixth Division had been created, so that General Birdwood could get the higher rank and the pay attached to the position of a commander of sis divisions. Catts pleaded not guilty. The evidence tendered allowed that no Sixth "Division existed. Catts gave evidence, and said that the statement was made at a meeting in the country. 'When be left for the country tour the new regulation under which the. case was taken: did not exist, and ho was not aware that the regulation had been, passed whon he made tie statement. Ho was under the belief that a Sixth Division existed, and produced statements from various sources in support of this belief. Tho case was dismissed, the Magistrate holding that Catts believed the statements to be true when lie made them.]