PACIFIST CHARGED

Greymouth Evening Star, 2 December 1939, Page 5

PACIFIST CHARGED

ALLEGED OBSTRUCTION.

[per press association.] WELLINGTON, December 1. After hearing the case, Mr. Stout, S.M., reserved his decision in a charge against Michael Young, a printer, of wilfully obstructing a public place .by holding- a meeting, and with aiding in the commission of negligent obstruction by v a crowd. Young pleaded not guilty. The police evidence was that Chews Lane was obstructed by a crowd, to which the accused- was speaking. He replied to a constable that he did not have a permit, and the constable asked him to move along. The accused asked the crowd to form a lane to allow through traffic, but it did hot do so, and the accused refused to move. The constable was joined by two other police officers, and the accused then said that he had made his point and moved on. When the constable said that the accused was dealing with, matters connected with the war, and that some of his sayings were very close to sedition, Mr. Stout remarked that the man.was not charged with sedition. ■ The accused, in the witness-box. said that the meeting he addressed was an anti-war meeting. He thought that there was more behind the action of the police than obstruction. It seemed to be more an attempt to prevent people who were pacifists from expressing their opinions. He had been unable to obtain a permit from the City Council.