DISTURBED INDIA.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 13781, 20 June 1908, Page 5

DISTURBED INDIA.

THE MUZZAFFAPUR OUTRAGE. CURBING THE PRESS. By Tclezraph.—rre*3 Association.— Copyright. (Received June 19, 10.20 p.m.) London, June 19. In the House of Commons last evening Mr. J. Keir Hardic inquired whether the Muzzaffapur . murderer had not several times been pronounced insane. Mr. T. R. Buchanan (Under-Secre-tary for India) promised to submit the statement to Viscount Morley (Secretary of State for India). (Received June 19, 10.50 p.m.) Calcutta, June 19. The new press laws are having an excellent effect in India. The argument, in favour of a Bill restricting the liberty of the pies- in India is that that liberty has been abused, and that the native press, not content with strong .criticism of the Government, has taken to inciting the natives to commit crime—murder and rebellion. That the argument was well founded was proved at the examination of witnesses in the preliminary hearing of the charge of sedition against the persons who wore concerned in the organisation .of the revolutionary college at Manicktolla, Calcutta, particulars of which were given last week. On that occasion natives who took part in the manufacture of bombs and ill the sending of them over the country, deposed that they had first been influenced, nay, had been moved to take up the work, by reading articles in a portion of the native press ii;citing to crime and sedition. These articles, they averred, had caused their minds much perturbation and excitement, and, believing' that the writers told the truth, they determined to join the organisation whoso object was the forcible expulsion of the English from India. The new Act gives the authorities power to confiscate presses and stop the issue of newspapers publishing incitements to crime.