CHARGE OF SEDITION.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume III, Issue 926, 29 January 1917, Page 10

CHARGE OF SEDITION.

RAMSEY IN COURT.

TRIAL BY JURY REFUSED.

ACCUSED REMANDED UNTIL FRIDAY.

Peter Scott Ramsey, a young man, who is president of the Anti-Con-scription League, and who had been drawn in the first ballot, came before Mr T. A. B. Bailey, S.M., on two charges of making seditious utterances in connection with speeches delivered in Victoria Square on January 14 and 21 respectively. There was the usual attendance of supporters when cases of this description are heard, the public benches being crowded. Mr S. G. Raymond, K.C., appeared for the prosecution. THE SPEECHES. The following is the text of the alleged speech, which forms the subject of the first charge:— "As more men are put in again and again (to wit imprisoned for the publication of seditious utterances relative to the Military Senvice Act, 1910), more will come forward on every occasion simply to demonstrate that the working class freedom must be fought for throughout the present crisis. We, some of us who are in the ballot (to wit called up for service under the Military Service Act) cannot give advice legally to those who are now in the second and third ballots as to what we should like them to do, and in any case we are not going to advise any young man to stop away from going into the tight if he thinks he is justified in doing so. But we can say what we intend to do ourselves." We are not going to go. They cannot make us go. We are prepared to take all the penalties of the law and all the punishment they can fix on us rather than break our principles, for which we have stood up for so many years in the labour movement."

The words in the speech alleged to have been delivered on January 21, which form the charge are as follows :

"To hell with the Conscription Act (to wit the Military Service Act, 1916). And I suppose that some of you may say, 'Oh, you are not quite safe in saving that. You are, as Bob Semple says, knocking at the gaol door anyway.' True, I am. I quite recognise it. I recognise that some seven weeks ago when the first ballot (to wit the ballot for compulsory service under the Military Service Act. 1916) was drawn I was drawn along with these men. I recognise just now that there is a portion of these men (and I know many of them) who did not want to go to Trentham (to wit a military camp of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force) and had not the backbone and kick to stand out. I admit there are many in Trentham drilling while I here possess my freedom as far as I can under the laws of this country as a citizen. I say that as long as possible I am going to possess that freedom. I say I am not going to drill. I am not going to Trcnlham. They may take me there, but when they get mc I guarantee they will never make a soldier of mc. I have the courage of my convictions. I have been a member of the peace movement since I was 14™ and I am not going to give up the principles for which I have fought for so many years for the class to which I do not belong. I ask you to-day, is a man who goes believing he is doing

wrong or with no desire to go to the war or is the man who lakes a stand right against the Government a man who says he will not go, and takes up the same stand, which of the two is the greater shirker? I know quite well that the statements which 1 make here to-day may be construed as being seditious." ACCUSED'S APPLICATIONS. The accused pleaded not guilty. He applied for a remand, trial by jury, and for bail. Mr Raymond said that as far as the application for a remand was concerned he would raise no opposition. But as to the application for trial by jury, this course of procedure was not recognised by the legislature. The sole jurisdiction to deal with cases of this description had been relegated to the magistrate. He would also oppose the granting of bail. The Magistrate said that he would refuse bail. There was no authority which would allow Ramsey the right to be tried by jury. The accused was remanded until Friday next.