COMMUNIST FINED

Dominion, Volume 26, Issue 290, 2 September 1933, Page 9

COMMUNIST FINED

Possessed Seditious Books DISTRIBUTION “HIS JOB” By Telegraph.—Press Association. Auckland, September 1. Lewis Williams, aged 29, a canvasser, was to-day fined £3, in default a month’s imprisonment, for having seditious literature in his possession. The prosecution was brought under the War Regulations. Books found in the accused’s possession were “Strike Strategy and Tactics,” “Lessons of the Industrial Struggles and Communism,” and “The Programme of the Third Internationale.” . The Acting-Crown Prosecutor read inflammatory passages from the book-, lets, one of which he said was the strongest of the kind he had seen. Detective Nalder said that the booklets were found in a suitcase. He told the accused he had been distributing a lot of books lately, and the accused replied: “Someone has to do it. I have to do my job.” Counsel said that Williams, who frankly admitted his membership of the Communist Party, was not the author or printer of the booklets. The magistrate (Mr. McKean) said that the accused tacitly admitted he was' distributing the booklets. His Worship remarked that some passages in a book appealed to him as funny. Counsel for the Crown said that some of the stuff was ridiculous, but it was read by a class of people who were not noted for intelligence. Mr. McKean: I can understand that literature of this kind during a war period would be serious. Do you regard this as a serious matter? Counsel foAthe Crown replied that the booklets were distributed among a class of people who apparently were easily led. ( When the magistrate imposed the fine counsel said that Williams could not pay It, and the magistrate fixed the alternative at one month’s imprisonment. Subsequently the accused’s counsel said that Williams had elected to go to gaol. ■