WOMAN’S ILLEGAL ACTIVITY

Dominion, Volume 34, Issue 109, 1 February 1941, Page 13

WOMAN’S ILLEGAL ACTIVITY

Jehovah’s Witness CALLED AT HOUSES WITH LITERATURE When Grace Bagnall, single, aged 25, was charged in the Magistrates' Court, Wellington, yesterday, with participating in the activities of a subversive organization, Jehovah’s Witnesses, her'’counsel, Mr. E. Barry, made a plea fur leniency uu the ground iliat she had not indulged in a disloyal activity but had merely obeyed a religious conviction that" she should tell others of her religious beliefs. Defendant pleaded not guilty, but Mr. Parry did uot call evidence and admitted that a conviction would have to be entered. Mr. Stout, S.M., inflicted a fine of £5 and ordered defendant to pay 16/costs. Mrs. Constance Bennett said defendant called at her house on December 20 and said she wished to explain the Bible. Witness replied that she had her own ideas about the Bible and did not wish to have it explained. Defendant left a book. The only other book witness saw defendant with was a Bible. Evidence of a similar call ata house was given by a man, who said ho asked defendant to go without giving her an opportunity to leave any literature, and by a constable who accosted defendant while she was leaving a house and to whom she admitted distributing literature. To the constable she said she had been a member of Jehovah’s Witnesses for six or eight years, but that she was making the calls of her owu accord. Reason for Ban.

Mr. Parry said the organization to which his client belonged had nothing to do with the present armed conflict or the world situation that had preceded it. It had been started by Judge Rutherford a great many years ago, and ever since had carried on what it considered religious and evangelistic work. A great many of its recentlypublished books contained only passing references to the present war situation. They were largely anti-Fascist and anti-Nazi. The books certainly did contain attacks on religious organizations and on one in particular, and it had been banned by the Government because it might offend other organized groups and thereby foster bad feeling and disunity. That was drawing a very long bow indeed, for on that basis it would be impossible for the Labour Party to criticize the National Party and the National Party to criticize the Labour Party, or for any organization to criticize any other organization. < His Worship had to Consider, said Mr. Parry, what risks would be run if he dealt leniently with the young woman. There was no question of her activities having been disloyal.

The magistrate remarked that the doctrine of Jehovah's Witnesses must be considered mischievous in Australia, where they had been prevented from broadcasting. No More Books.

Mr. Parry said- he could not speak of events in Australia. The court had been regarded in the past by the people as their - guardian against Governments that went too far. The young woman was eminently respectable and of religious disposition, and was convinced she was acting in accord with her religious principles. She would discontinue the distribution of literature. The magistrate: Yes, but others may not discontinue.

Mr. Parry: There are no further stocks. There are negotiations under way for the Collector of Customs to hold the literature till the ban is lifted. She is willing to confine herself to preaching the Bible. The magistrate: She must not inflict her views on people. Mr. Parry: If she does there is the ordinary law against that The magistrate said he could not convict and discharge as Mr. Parry had suggested he should in the case of a person who broke that regulation. It was not os if it was the first prosecution. Jehovah’s Witnesses had had ample notice that it was a breach of the law. Whether it was done from a sense of religious obligation or uot did not affect the question before the court. Defendant was probably not one who was using the organization as others probably were—as subversive proceedings against the war effort.