THE CONSPIRACY CHARGE.

Mataura Ensign, 24 April 1917, Page 2

THE CONSPIRACY CHARGE.

♦— PROCEEDING. AUCKLAND, April 24. The charge against John Jones, president of the Coal Miners’ Federation, was proceeded with to-day. The evidence consisted of letters and telegrams seized at the time of the arrest at Huntly, and on April 3, chieHy communications', from Arbuckle, secretary of the Federation, in tile course of which frequent references were made to Arbuckle* s efforts to get the West Coast miners to endorse and proceed with the restriction of output. One of the telegrams referred to the Australian strike. Mr Singer (counsel for the defence) seized the opportunity to reply to the statement made yesterday by Mr Meredith. Quoting Arbuckle’s cable to Australia, he said Mr Meredith was probably not aware that the cable in question was worded at a conference of three parties, including the Minister for Justice, and was written by one of the Minister’s secretaries and sent by him at the Government expense.