"DESERVED ALL HE COT AND MORE"

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume L, Issue 175, 3 November 1917, Page 5

"DESERVED ALL HE COT AND MORE"

ASSAULT ON REV. HOWARD ' ;' ' ELLIOTT. i';-;.'"-"' 1 : .. MAGISTRATE'S SCATHING REMARKS, i :• ~ (United Press 1 -Association.) - ; AUCKLAND, N6v. 2. 7 The charges against Charles Christopher Clements ahd'HerbebtiiEugene M<J-\ En tee of - assaulting''tMe Rev. Howard Elliott on Octoben 15th, were heard- by Mr. P. «"V. Frazer, : S;M.,, tin the.'.Police Court to-day. . *v •The informations were laid bv Elliott, . fot whom Mr' Ostler! "appeared. Oouti- : sel said it was significant thnt the assault was committed when Elliott was leaving his housoito «peak= at. a Weetirig; of the Protestant 'Political Association: He denied that ■ Elliott had published any statement reflecting, on of Clements,! the matter being -contain* v ed in ■»' letter "Written--by and ; addressed id -Elliott- himself to test tho :'censorship.- The contents 'revealed 3 <by counsel at the postal'- inquirv. .■ i The ,Jjuth' of the matter was that the Assault was an attempt -to prevent the right of . free speech. - . "• liott left the Court, and shortly afteijwards -Mr ;Ostler said his case-was-, concluded. - < ■ ■ '■ ■ ■- .''A-'; ! Mr J. R. Reed, who appeared for the .Accused, remarked, "Elliott has funked *it, and slunk , out :of Court.; It. is- .cow* ardly to avoid going into the box, and is in accordance with his actions in attacking a dead woman;" -Elliott's action made it; clear that he would not,,, substantiate the grossly untrue stater. . mente he had made. The charge against McEntee was dismissed, the Magistrate ruling that there was no evidence against him. '■ Mr Fta- , zer ruled that in the absence of Elliott, he must'presume thbt he made. tK© statement attributed to him.. _ ' In giving judgment, Mr Frnzer said: "I am absolutely satisfied that ; the statements regarding the clin«tity.' -'d£ the sister of Clements are absolutely untrue. I can only sav that, speaking; as a man, I think Elliott, itv making , that statement in public, behaved a low cad, and,- speaking as n man, ;I Am satisfied that he deserved all he;got, and a pood deal more." • His Worship expressed regrot that it was necossary to enter a conviction against Clements, but no other penally would be inflicted. ( Mr Ostler made an applicntion for costs, wljich was refused.