CHRISTIAN PACIFISTS

Evening Star, Issue 23907, 10 June 1941, Page 4

CHRISTIAN PACIFISTS

LOWER AND HIGHER COURT CONVICTIONS QUESTION OF FURTHER PUNISHMENT (P A.) WELLINGTON, Juno 10. The Court of Appeal was engaged this morning hearing a case stated or The King against Ormond Edward Burton, David William Silvester, John Robert Hammerton, James Doherty, and John Whitely Boal, members of the Christian Pacifist Society, who were found guilty at the last Supremo Court session at Wellington on charges of conducting meetings prohibited under the provisions of tbo Public Safety Emergency Regulations. 1940. The society decided to hold meetings in a Wellington public reserve, and the prisoners on separate Friday evenings persisted in continuing to address bystanders when called on to desist by the police. Each was brought on different dates before the Magistrate’s Court and charged under tho Police Offences Act with wilfully obstructing Police Superintendent Lopdell in the execution of his duty- a nd each was convicted and sentenced on this charge to three months’ imprisonment. After verdicts of “ Guilty ” in tho Supreme Court the Chief Justice, Sir Michael Myers, raised a question for the opinion of the Court of Appeal as to whether, in respect of each prisoner, the offence charged against him under the Police Offences Act, and the offence charged under the Public Safety Emergency Regulations were substantially the same offence. Argument is proceeding as to whether each prisoner can, or should in tho circumstances, bo further punished) in respect of the Supreme Court charge, and generally tho position in. respect of tho conviction of these prisoners now serving their Magistrate’s Court sentences.