THE KING’S ASSAILANT

Greymouth Evening Star, 23 July 1936, Page 7

THE KING’S ASSAILANT

NEWSPAPERS IN TROUBLE

“CONTEMPT” ALLEGED

(BY CABLE —PBESS ASSN. —COPYRIGHT.)

(Received July 23, 10 a.m.) LONDON, July 22.

Statements published in the “Evening News” and “Daily Express,” arising from the proceedings against McMahon. were the subject of an application on the part of the Attorney General for a rule nisi for a writ of attachment against the editors and publishers of the papers concerned, on the ground that the comments gravely prejudiced the fair trial of the accused. The Bench, including the Chief Justice, granted the application. The hearing was set down for July 27. The Attorney-General quoted passages from the “Daily Express,” describing McMahon as “a man withgrievances against authority,” and alleging that McMahon was kept under the constant observation of prisons doctors and mental specialists, declaring, “This is the case of a man who has brooded over imaginary wrongs, and allowed his instability of character to derange his native intelligence, and boasted that his views were non-sectarian, and non-political.” The “Daily Express” also published statements from persons claiming acquaintance with McMahon. One .of these statements was: “He has drinking bouts, which are sending him crazy." Other paragraphs of which the Attorney-General complained stated that McMahon was obsessed with the crazy idea that Sir J. Simon and the Home Office were preventing the publication of “The Human Gazette.” The Attorney-General also cited alleged incidents in McMahon’s life, published in the “Evening News,” declaring there were grave objections to biographies of this kind, and he objected to other passages “purporting to deal with the motives and mental state of accused.”

CHARGE REDUCED. LONDON, July 22. The “Daily Telegraph” forecasts that the charge against McMahon, arising from the incident in connection with the King is to be reduced.

ARMY HONOURS.

[BRITISH OFFICIAL WIRELESS.]

RUGBY. July 21

The King has assented to become Colonel-in-Chief of the Royal West. African Frontier Force, Colonel-in-Chief of the King's African Rifles, and Colonel-in-Chief of the Ceylon Defence Force.