SEDITIOUS UTTERANCE CHARGE

Evening Star, Issue 17956, 1 May 1922, Page 6

SEDITIOUS UTTERANCE CHARGE

BISHOP LISTON BEFORE COURT, PROSECUTION OPENS, [Special to the ‘Star.’] AUCKLAND, .May 1. Dr Liston appealed in the Police Court to-day to answer a charge of having made a seditious utterance at (he St. Patricks Day concert. Mr Boynton, S.M., was on the Bench, Mr Meredith prosecuted on behalf of tho Crown, and Mr J. L. Genian appeared on behalf of the bishop, who occupied a seat at the solicitor's table. The court was crowded. Bishop Liston stood and listened attentively with bowed head while the lengthy information was read. Mr Meredith, in outlining the case for the Crown, .said it was fortunate that charges of this kind were few in this country, and that it was seldom found necessary to take down this weapon from the armory of the . Government. This speech was made on the night of March 17. Prior to this the grave question of tho settlement of the Irish dilliculty was in the melting pot, and was exercising the minds of the public considerably here and elsewhere. Those circumstances had some hearing on the effect and importance of the words uttered on such an occasion. There was also the fact to bo considered that Dr Liston, by reason of his eminence in the Roman Catholic Church, and of tho fact that he was recognised as a man of culture, learning, and experience, gave those words a, weight and bearing that undoubtedly would not lie given if they were uttered by a person of little or no responsibility. The evidence would mainly be that of the reporter who took tho speech, with further evidence by members of the audience as to (heir recollection of certain details which impressed thernseles on their memory. R EPORTER’S EVIDENCE. [Psr.t United Press Association.] AUCKLAND, May 1. Cordon. Stanbronk, reporter on the ‘Herald,' gave evidence that he took a long-hand note of the bishop s speech, and destroyed his notes after tho report was written, Tho report was written in the it ret person. lie was not quite sure of tho phrase about tho “ dismemberment of Ireland,’' but was certain that the bishop used a phrase indicating that Ireland had been dismembered. The bishop also referred to several defeats of England. Ho (witness) did not remember the actual words used. In his reference to Easter of 1916 tiro bishop used the phrase “ murdered by foreign troops,” as a reference to the hunger strike. Witness conld not remember the actual words, and could not remember every word said, but ho remembered certain passages, such as the reference to the cattle ranch and the House of Bondage. The words ‘‘murdered bv foreign troops” were*.-verbatim. He. took this to refer to the troops brought in from England to suppress tho rebellion of Easter .Monday, 1916. STATEMENTS OF AUDITORS. [Special to thr ‘Stab.’] , AUCKLAND, May 1. Prank Ball in, usher, said that he remembered Bishop Liston saying that his father and mother and many others were driven by their foreign masters from the land they lived in, ns the country was wanted to be used as ranches for the snobs of England. Referring to Easter of 1916, the" bishop said that so many people had been murdered by foreign troops—“ We must not forget these people; their memory will dive for ever in the hearts of Irishmen.” Robert Beswick, Customs officer, gave, evidence that the remarks that impressed him most were those in reference to the bishop’s father and mother; that Irishmen had received the first instalment of their freedom, and were determined to have the whole of it, because the omnipotent hand of Cod made Ireland a nation ; that whilst the grass grow and the water flowed there would be plenty to fight and even die that God's desires might be realised; that difficulties were ahead, but they should not fear them ; that the rulers of our little Empire who beat that groat empire should bo able to get over the difficulties; that they must not forget the martyrs who died in 1916—155 men and women, including three priests, who were prone) to die for their country; some were shot, some were hanged, some died on hunger-strike, murdered by foreign troops.” “I stood up as a protest,” added witness, “and walked out after tiro address.” The speech, he added, was not fully reported in the ‘ Herald,’ but the report was a fair one. The proceedings wore several 1 times interrupted by laughter from the crowd in tho rear of the court. “ This is not a picture show,” said Mr Boynton, addressing tho spectators ; “ if there’s any more of that you’ll go out—tho whole lot of you.”