SUBVERSIVE STATEMENTS

Evening Post, Volume CXXX, Issue 27, 31 July 1940, Page 5

SUBVERSIVE STATEMENTS

«. (By Telegraph— I'iesr Association.) AUCKLAND, July 30. \ Parts of a speech made at an openair meeting during the Auckland West by-election campaign were the subject '-f a charge of making subversive state- ! ments, heard by Mr: Justice Fair and • a jury in the Supreme Court. The j accused was Alexander Drennan, j waterside worker, who pleaded not ■guilty. ! Four statements complained of were ; alleged to have been made at an open- ! air meeting held under the auspices of ; the Communist Party on May 10. They ; referred to the alleged bringing in of i laws in order to stifle the truth from i becoming apparent to the masses, and ; alleged that emergency laws had be- : come necessary to crush the growing : opposition to capitalism. The accused :, was alleged to have said he was i throwing his whole effort behind ef- : forts to stop the war. | In addressing the jury, the accused ! dealt at length with the character of I the meeting, saying its whole object : was to get votes for the Communist ; candidate. j After a brief retirement the jury j returned a verdict of guilty, adding a I strong recommendation to mercy on j the grounds that the speech was made in the heat of an election campaign. In remanding the accused for sentence, his Honour said he would give the greatest weight td the recommenj datioa.