Inciting Charge Against Paper Fails

Northern Advocate, 12 March 1948, Page 5

Inciting Charge Against Paper Fails

WELLINGTON, Fri. (P.A.) —“I think it would be a strange thing indeed if newspapers were restricted in giving what I think is a fair report on the news of this business, or restricted in the proper and free expression of their opinion.”

This comment was made by Mr A. M. Goulding. S.M.. in the Magistrate's Court today, when dismissing charges of inciting and encouraging a strike brought against Blundell Bros. Lid., and against the publishers of the Evening Post. Henry Percy Fabian Blundell. Leonard Coker Blundell and Ernest Albert Blundell.

! The charges were brought by the Inspector of Factories as tho result of an article in thg Post on February 16. The article was headed “Compulsory Meeting." and dealt with the holding of a slopwork meeting' of the City and Hutt branches of the Wellington Carpenters and Joiners’ Union. Most of the argument in court centred around the heading and the sen‘encc: "It will he compulsory for members of the City and Hutt branches of tiie Wellington Carpenters and Joiners' Union to attend the special stopwork meeting tomorrow.” The magistrate found that the prosecution had failed to establish that the article was an incitement.