PACIFIST’S SPEECH

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20137, 5 January 1940, Page 11

PACIFIST’S SPEECH

STREET OBSTRUCTED OFFENDER FINED £3 (Pur Press Association.) WANGANUI, this day. Archibald Charles Barrington, ant'd 34, Wellington, -ho was a nested yesterday afternoon, when giving a pacifist address at a street meeting in Wanganui, was charged in the Magistrates; Court to-day with obstructing the police in the execution of thenduty and obstructing the street. He was ordered to come up for sentence if called on in one charge and was lined £3 on the other. The defendant, who conducted his own defence, said that the streets could be put to other legitimate uses than for traffic. The police gave evidence that some of the crowd objected to the speaker’s remarks. “He was ordered by a constable to move on but he declined. His fellow pacifist then stood on a box and said: “This is the freeom which we are against." The constable here interrupted and the pair debated for a few moments. The would-be speaker . was persuaded to move from the street ana continue his address in Queen's Park. After the accused's arrest, the Rev. J. F. Martin, of the Methodist Church, Aramolio, who previously said to the crowd that he was proud to call these men his friends, took over hie speaking. The cro.vd gave him a more generous heaving though there were still interjeclk ns. Ho was also told tc move along by a plain-clothes constable ■md complied The magistrate, Mr. A. R. Coleman said the motives of the speakers had nothing to do with the court, which only had to decide if the gathering of a crowd to hear the speeches obstructed the street, lie was satisfied it did and that an accident might have occurred.