NO EVIDENCE

Evening Post, Volume CIV, Issue 49, 26 August 1922, Page 7

NO EVIDENCE

, THE LEADBEATER CHARGES DECISION OF CROWN SOLICITOR (CNino: PUSS ASSOCIATION.—COMRISHT.) ■ (Received 26th August, 11 a.m.) SYDNEY, This Day. The Justice Department has concluded its investigations into the charges against Bishop Leadbeater. / The Crown _soEcitor is' of opinion that; there is in-' sufficient evidence available to obtain a conviction on any charge. . " , [In May' a number of cablegram's from Sydney dealt with a disagreement which had arisen between Mr. Pidding-, ton, then president of the Public Questions Society of Sydney University, and Mrs. Besant, the theosophist, in regard to Bishop Leadbeater. A <;ablegram on 26th May stated that Mr. Piddington,- replying to Mrs". Besant, reviewed the whole position regarding the allegations against Bishop. -Leacfoeator. -. He said that *Mrs. Besant must meet the real question. "How can she, as a professed priestess of truth and an inspired leader of morals, shield by her personal influence a, colleague, Bishop Leadbeater, who has admitted teaching boys a certain vice?" he asked. After dealing with, the evidence when the case was before the Madras Court in 1906, and traversing her previous letter, Mr. Piddington concluded : "Mrs. Besant's chief colleague here stated as late as 1013, in open Court, that he still believed in teaching a detestable vice, to -boys which he had previously taught, them, An English Judge for this reason .declared him an immoral person. Bishop Leadbeater is still alleged to be; what an English Judge said of him. Mrs. Besant has shielded Bishop Leadbeater from inquiry, and finally Bishop Leadbeater says nothing. I']