HUSBAND AND WIFE CHARGED

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLVIII, Issue 21817, 21 November 1940, Page 7

HUSBAND AND WIFE CHARGED

DISTRIBUTION OF BANNED LITERATURE By Telegraph Press Association WESTPORT, November 20. At the fortnightly sitting of the Magistrate’s Court this morning before Mr C. G. Chisholm, SM-, Eva GouldIng and her husband, William Goulding, of Nlkau, were charged that between October 29, 1940, and November 12, 1940, at Granity, they did distribute certain documents and booklets published by the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society, such documents and booklets being deemed to be subversive literature within the meaning of the Public Safety Emergency Regulations. The charges were heard separate!" and the accused elected to conduct their own defence. Sergeant Russell said that under the War Emergency Regulations the organisation to which the accused had given allegiance was known as Jehovah’s Witnesses. It was declared a subversive institution and was banned by the law of the country. The defendants used their residence for the distribution of literature throughout New' Zealand, and even police officers were not overlooked. Constable Paul, of Granity, said he found a large amount of subversive literature in the dwelling house occupied by defendants. Eva Goulding admitted that she had posted pamphlets throughout New Zealand. Eva Goulding said she was not breaking a Divine law. She was a follower of Jehovah. An appeal had been made to the. King to lift the ban on the organisation. She was a servant of God and would continue to do Jehovah's work. She would not take any notice of man’s law and would only be guided by Divine laws. The Magistrate said he was there to administer the laws of the land and see that they were obeyed. He would convict both’ the accused and, providing an undertaking was given as to their future behaviour, he would order them to come up for sentence within a period of three months if called upon. If they respected the law they would hear no more about the charge.