CHRISTCHURCH SEDITION CASES.

Colonist, Volume LX, Issue 14778, 22 May 1918, Page 7

CHRISTCHURCH SEDITION CASES.

HUNTEIR., FbOOD AJKD EANGLEY. GOVERNMENT'S DECISION. 1' KELEASE TcTIbTC .ADVISED. [United Pmoss Association.] WelSlngtoPj May £1. i -The Government has ronsl*ored tho • appeals on behalf of Hunter, I'lood and 1 Lan^loy, imprisoned at Christehurc'i ■ recently for sedition and 'has cic1, cideci to advise their release on condi- ■ i lion that each man enters into a bond '' with -tv.-o sufficient sureties, each m a' ■'sum oi" £'"-0, tt) he of -jooci behaviour ' fov ]'2 ii)oiil;;k. and especially during 1 (.■::;■ t p«?riocl u> abstain from ti)l acts I ■ and utterances having any; seditious I " ' /fcT^'lency. ' ' ,Tiie A.utiiig-Primo Minister, in a| ! =-':Mi,?inepi;. ■••ritl -the' Oron'rnniont . eon-J ' " sidered the observations of tlio Magis- j ; tivri.e when lio pronounced judgment. ! v.env entirt'ly justifted by tiie i-ncts- ' ' ]i!"o\v>:l, raid eousidering tns ntt- ' I.iir<; ay.d circainsfcances cf the oivence,. I the t'cntencos v.c-re lenient. The only ■ dmimstanco which v.eighcd 'vvith the' 1 Govevninent in favour of tTie prayer for a remission oi the sentences was that '; the .seditious nature of the resolution ;. drafted by Flood^ proposed by Latigiey, ' t and seconded by Hunter, was not ob'jvious to the' Mayor, who presided, to the public men on the platform, who • abstained from protest, or to the large 'number of persons who voted in favour of the-motion when it was' -pat ! | by'the. Arayor. If uroof could have, •-been obtained of participation by other persons, prosecutions Avoulcl have been instituted against others as well as against the three prisoners, but proof sufficient for a. criminal case was only : available against the three. Sir James.l Allen added, that the Governm»nt had; ; not dealt witfi the case of Chappie, I ■ >"j which, he said, was not in the same : . category as the others. Chappie r/oukl;' .■ receive no consideration whatever from; : the hands of the Government.