SEDITION.

Greymouth Evening Star, 16 March 1917, Page 2

SEDITION.

AN AI.IKN tfKXTEXCKD. ji'KK I'UKSS ASSOCIATION.] AUCKLAND, Ma roll 15. At the I'ukekone t'olice Court, ltafo Auuuiuvtri), aged dl year.-, a name of DalmaUa, was charged with having inade a disloyal and seditious statement in the hearing of Ins lainily. it was the hr.-t ease ot it is kind heard m the Dominion. The words used were: "The Kaiser is a r reat man, and 1 take oil my hat to ton. The britisli are the bfegest Jang.- 1 ever saw. My brothers are giving you a good licking now. i am a German, not ail Austrian, Lord Kitchener was the biggesi mug .1 ever saw. lie would not hold a candle with the Kaiser. The Kaiser is a second Napoleon. lie is the cleverest man ever born. The first thing I will. do when Germany wins the war is to kick you. I would sell all my secrets to Germany. Why should Ibe naturalised and fight for the British?" The police stated that the accused had only been in the district for a few mouths." lie posed as « naturalised Dalmatian, but there was reason to believe tint lie was not naturalised. Accused's mother-in-law. Amelia Turnbull, gave evidence that accused made tne statements at the breakfast table in the presence of his wife and herself. Counsel for accused submitted that the-ease was only a family quarrel and the regulations were never intended to pry into a private house. Accused denied making the statement The Magistrate, in imposing a sentence of twelve months' imprisonment, said that he would place the facts before the .Minister for hjni to decide whether internment should be substituted for imprisonment.