HUNTER ON PROBATION.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIX, Issue 25, 21 May 1914, Page 7

HUNTER ON PROBATION.

JUDGE HOSKINS' REMARKS. [Pie Peebb Association. I Wellington, May 20. Edward Hunter, who had been foun> guilty of uttering seditious words o 14th December, came up for sentenc before Mr Justice Hoskins to-day. ; His Honor told the prisoner he wa j liable to imprisonment for two yearshut in the circumstances be though j the proper punishment would be to ad niit accused to probation. His do j cision was reached on the followin I special considerations: That accuse was not guilty of seditious libel; b j had been bound over to keep the peac i for six months, which had not yet ex pired ; he had been under committal fo trial since December, and he had ha< two trials; he had not been one o the leaders of the strike, so that hi words did not carry the same weigh as theirs; his words were uttered a the close of the strike; when his matel was thrown, the powder was well nig] perished; his words were directei more to the incitement of the striker: of the West Coast than those of Wei lington ; and, finally, the jury ha( strongly recommended him to mercy Counsel had stated that prisoner wa; a young man convinced that then were wrongs to be remedied, but thi: event might teach him a lesson, ant that if lie wished to redress wrongs b< must do so by lawful moans and not In inciting to violence and illegal meth ods. He would be admitted to pro bation for twelve months, one speeia condition being that he must neithei write nor speak seitious words during the period of his probation. KnuwimmiMiniMMiiii mini mini