A PLOT AGAINST A MARIST PRIEST.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXVIII, Issue 2, 11 January 1900, Page 6

A PLOT AGAINST A MARIST PRIEST.

A few months ago a Marist priest, who was on his way from Fiji to Europe, was arrested at Albany, on a warrant issued at Suva charging him with several very serious offences. Although, as was subsequently proved, perfectly innocent, the poor priest was taken back a prisoner to Fiji, and there detained in gaol until the case came before the magistrate. Several witnesses were called for the prosecution, but the magistrate was so satisfied that the whole business was a conspiracy that he discharged the accused without hearing any evidence for the defence. During the court proceedings it leaked out that a certain Wesleyan chief was the prime mover of the conspiracy. The slandered and ill-used priest has now resumed the voyage to France which was so cruelly broken by Mb arrest at Albany. He has a good claim against the Fiji Government for compensation, and it is highly probahle that some of the conspirators who plotted against him will be prosecuted A Fiji resident, who is particularly well informed, states that the accusations against the blameless priest was made with the object of bringing the Marist missionaries into di^gracp. 'Our enemies,' writes this resident, ' wanted to have a counter-blast to Cardinal Moran's exposure of the Protestant missions in the South Seas ' By the steamer Rockton, which reached Sydney the other day, we (Sydney FrermtuCs Journal) received the Fiji Timr.t, which has a brief reference to the police court proceedings. ISays the T i i)i i x :—: —

'The Government steamer Clyde, which arrived from Savu Savu on Saturday last, brought news of the cases preferred against the Rev. Father Prin, to which we have referred in a previous issue. Mr. Humphry Berkeley appeared for the defence in all the capes. Sergeant O'Donnell appeared to prosecute the indictable offences. There were seven charges in all. The first three cases were beard and dismissed on November SO. The remaining four were heard on December 1 , two of which were dis-nissed, and the prosecutors askel leave to withdraw the remaining two. Mr. Berkeley pointed out that warrants had been issued for the apprehension of the Reverend Father, that he had been arrested in the Australian Colonies, subjected to some months of imprisonment, brought ba-k to Fiji and tried on seven separate charges, all of whiuh had been immediately dismissed. He asked in the interests of justice that the whole of the papers should be forwarded to his Excellency the Governor, which his Worship the Magistrate said he would do.

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