CONTEMPT CHARGE

New Zealand Herald, Volume 78, Issue 24135, 29 November 1941, Page 10

CONTEMPT CHARGE

PACIFIST'S APOLOGY MAGISTRATE'S ADVICE TRIP TO JAPAN OR BERLIN [BY TELEGRAPH —PRESS ASSOCIATION] CHRISTCHURCH, Friday Arrested in Court yesterday, Lincoln Arthur Winstone EfFord, who was Charged that he committed wilful contempt in the Magistrate's Court in that) not being an authorised person, he did take down reports in writing, which included notes of the magistrate's remarks with comments thereon, appeared again this morning before Mr. A. A. McLachlan, S.M., and pleaded not guilty. Efford said he had not sufficient information to get legal advice. Fiddling While Borne Burns ; The Magistrate: You are charged with contempt of Court. You do not seem to understand the gravity of the offence. You don't seem to realise that the security of the country is in balance. That is being decided in Libya and Moscow and other places. You are accepting British shelter when your country is in danger. You are like Nero fiddling while Rome burns. While your country is fighting for its very existence you come to Court taking onesided notes of these cases. Efford said his only comment was one word, and therefore the charge was not correct. Teacher Without Pupils The Magistrate: Holding the views you do, you should he in Japan or some- j where. Efford: There are people there who believe the same as I do, I have to do my duty in the country in which I live. The Magistrates There fe oce place you should be. In answer to the magistrate, Efford said he was a schoolteacher,. hot had no pupils. Detective Parrish said Efford was known as a member of pacifist societies. He was on invalidity pension. An Apology Accepted Efford, in evidence, said he waa not sure why he took notes, but as a member of the public he felt it his duty to do so. He added that after the war history would have to be written. "As a man under suspicion of subversive acts, you should definitely not be allowed to take notes," said the magistrate, who, on receiving an apology from Efford, dismissed the case. "Please try to show your pacifist designs in a less patent way in future," added the magistrate. "Take a trip to Japan or Berlin."