SEQUEL TO STRIKE.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 13304, 13 February 1914, Page 8

SEQUEL TO STRIKE.

CHARGES OF SEDITION

(Per Press Association.) - WELLLNGTON, last night

"This is. st: nare charge in New Zealand," said Chief Justice (Sir R. Stout) in- addressing the jury at the Supreme Court to-day in the sedition case against Hunter. "Tlie colony, has been in existence since 1840!, and the Government has varied in character.This has been a Crown colony, and also a colony of representative institutions. We have had au-'extension.- of^franchise so that now every male and female o.Hrer : 21 years of age has a. say in the government of the country. Hitherto we have not had charges of sedition againstEuropeans. Eiarly settlers and- those down to" the present time have been able c tt^ make thei* known without* resorting to ' violence/ 'but there has been violence fused" iii- Wellington during the past few -months. The only time when violence was used . before was when there was what, frught <be called civil war against the Maoris. No doubt there has been violence in Wellington which meant the setting asido of law and. order, and no country can exist where such things take place. Yon-? cannot' get-, a/ Country where? 1 the people -agree -on all subjects. The go; vernment is so constituted as to allow the fullest * freedom of discussion and opportunity for meeting. It is not so in all countries. 'The- liberty, wer have enjoyed has not been affected in any -n-ayk—instead of 'being decreased it has been increased. Now the question is simply «thfis-: No nation can* allow the law and-* order of the community to be set aside • ao^ violence take-«it& > P&c^j Such-a count^is not-^6rth*hvihg ih!" The jury - disagwKidv .in^thevca^f lin which- £dwafd ■■■ HuarVer '^wffls" tried; cmcharges oi-using sse^itious -lan^ag^pand a new triftl-iwas ordered.* ■* > '-" \ <r A' \ ' ;?> Hunter' was -allowed bail. ' i! . Harry Holland > --«d : itofc,!.Gl the" ;M&oriland Worker? :.\?afe .cßarged^withmttering seditious-. language, at the Basin Reserve on i October 26 vand^U'jNewtowa^Bark on November -2. : A&>A *«'<#£•. / Evidence was given, by; Detectives Rawle and. Lewis, L©T Fanning (of the Evening Post editorial, staff), and Ar^ thur V. .O'Brieh,' a Dott^ni«h reporter, regarding the speeches V complained ' of, and by John Bre and A. "Kv.- Hitching, shipping clerks, as to the disturbance that took place on- the steamer^ -Naviia and Defender on October ;24yand 25. Both had been attacked by the mob. Mr Wilford, cottn&el itei >Me>. defence, raised two legal objections -that the words complained ,, of wepfe^wbt'' Capable of being construed' as seditious. The juiry -aftei: . a ,^ptirenf^tit, ; "of two hours, returned. af v4f^ct>^s euilty.. : The points v aKdsed '■■ fey^Mr "Wilford were reserved* for considetation by the Court of'ApP^aU HoHainl benig released in the meantime Offt'-fbati". ..^.yyy-.-.. - . ;