SEDITIOUS UTTERANCES.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LII, Issue 114, 18 May 1918, Page 5

SEDITIOUS UTTERANCES.

REV. J. H. G: CHAPPLESENTENCED..

(United Press Association.!

CHRISTCHURCH, May 17. The hearing of the charges of having, made seditious utterances at Greymoutti on March 26th and 29th last, against the Rev. J. H. G. Chappie, lecturer, of. Chriscthurch, was taken to-day by Mr Bailey, S-M. . ,; .v •• Evidence as to the accused's uttering, the words was given by Sergeant Simpson and Detective-Sergeant Ward.' Mr Twyneham, for the defence, submitted that the informations should be dismissed. If the words had been used in tlie way the witnesses had reported themi probably they could, be held to be seditious; but it had been clearly estalished that they had .been forced from' the context and were mere extracts from an address which took ,8U minutes to deliver. The words had no* been .'used in the way set out in the in ; formatibn, and he submitted that # . tljey gave ; an entirely erroneous description of the acused's speech. . m . . His Worship, in convicting the accused, said he considered that ho was,» dangerous man, especially time in the country's history. . He wpuld bo. sentenced 'to eleven months imprison-, ment on each charge, the sentences to be concurrent. . * ■ There were low cries of bhame, ana the court was declared adjourned. Afe the public were filing out a woman rawed her voice in passionate protest against the sentence.