Trial of Colonel Lynch.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXXI, Issue 5, 29 January 1903, Page 15

Trial of Colonel Lynch.

Great interest was taken in the trial, which opened in London on Wednesday, of ex-Colonel Lynch, the member for Galway, who is charged with high treason. The court overruled the motion of Mr. H. E. Avory to quash the indictment on the ground that it disclosed no offence. Lynch pleaded ' Not guilty,' alleging that he was a naturalised citizen of the Transvaal Republic. The case for the prosecution closed on Friday. Counsel for Colonel Lynch raised an intricate technical interpretation of ' The British Naturalisation Act of 1870/ contending that this protected him from any criminality being involved in the acts charged against him. The -.udges unanimously overruled the plea. Evidence was then submitted to show that Colonel Lynch went to South Africa as a war correspondent. The accused was found guilty of high treason and sentenced to death. Justice Willis^ as senior judge of the court, delivered an impressive speech in sentencing Lynch. He emphasised the gravity of the crime, and said the prisoner was a citizen of no mean city, inasmuch as he was born in Australia, which had shown the utmost devotion to t heMotherland. The prisoner had fought for the price ot gold in the country's darkest hour by joining the ranks of her foes to dethrone Britain and to make her name a by-word and a reproach. He had shed, or done his best to shed, his own countrymen's blood. How many wives had been widowed and children orphaned through the. contingent he commanded. Heaven only knew. Misjudging his country, he had lifted a parricidal hand, thanking doubtless she would shrink from the gigantic struggle, and that at the worst peace would bring an amnesty covering his treason. And this against Victoria, the best beloved and most deeply honored of all long-lived British sovereigns ; against his country, the home of freedom and progress ! It is expected the King will release Lynch after a short imprisonment.

The Catholic Chiurch, says the ' Argus,' is second in the totals for Australasia. It occupies a timilar position in each State, except in South Australia, where the Methodist Church is numerically stronger, and in New Zealand, where it gives place to the Presbyterian Church. During the 30 years, 1871-1901, the number of Roman Catholics in the Commonwealth States increased from 408,279 to 855,800. In New Zealand the increase during the same period was from L' 5,608 to 109, 822, but while the total for Australasia shows a very substantial increase, the proportion of Roman Catholics to the whole population has declined by nearly 2 per cent. The Church is strongest in New South Wales, where its members represent 26 per cent, of the population, and weakest in New Zealand, where the proportion iff 14.6, which is 0.2 below the proportion in South Australia^

Apropos of Keir Hardie, M.P 's recent arrest a* «n o^h^inin lll^^ 6 ' ** stlfyt SSSrfSsfii of the man, his appearance and manner : On the openintr of^CoLmnnf fh° n Hardto CiUUe down to tie of Commons library to consult borne books. ' Are \ou at \£ \u>S" recently the Chief Justice, Sir John Maiden uSe.l o JJ h h 8 f S CO ,. M one ' who won the honor and respect of all whether regarded as a broad-minded man of the world wh?h gg h V V° °" le i 8 that absolute liberty of conscience which he demanded for himself and his people or as «? such assemblies as this, which he attended l ?£a?dl«s of personal leisure or convenience, or as a gallan? opponent in controversy, always cordial, always strong readvto Wh^vVThev^t h^^ y Wh ° Ch °, se to enc g o'un?er d nim° cVe V d her a e nT £&£* Tv? n^wKe^uTd

■ ,? ar n n^? and T » usrdi ans are remindeh that St PatFetruaiy lT'. ™ ellin * tOD ' wilt ***** on Thursday, rhnJJh ?" °' CC f onnot1 ' of the Catholic Book Depot, Christas fhe * C« a thT C °^ ie !. in sto ? k of Sllth standard works as the Catholic Dictionary,' Spirago's ' Method of Christian Doctrine,' Roads to Rome,' etc., which he offers at very low prices.... n ne OI nn T M«rS hriStia ?, Br ° thers ' School, Dunedin, reopened on Monday. Pupds are prepared for the Civil Service and University entrance* examinations whilst special attention is paid to shorthand, tvnewriting book-keeping, and elocution... uunffl