THE LAW AND THE "ARMY"

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 2174, 16 July 1889, Page 2

THE LAW AND THE "ARMY"

.. ' • A number of Salvationists were don vloted at Hastings lately for walking la procession m the pablio streets, and were sent to the Napier prison la default of paying tbelr fiaeo. In bringing this., matter up m the House, Mr oeddon charaotetlsed the dentenoe at a reflaotion - upon the colony and a stigma on the advancement of the sge. The Salvationists had simply been mardhfng along the streets m the Interest of their fellow beings, and for so doing they bad. had the brand of convicts placed on them by being sent to gaol- (Oriea of "Shame."} ;; The hon. gentleman farther mentioned that some time ego some members of tha Army were co .vlcted at Napier for parad* Ing the streets, but, on appeal, the bylaw was declared to be ultra vires, while the Supreme Court of New South Wales, on appeal, had deolared Imprisonment for the same thing to be illegal. He ex* pressed the opinion that If imprisonment for non payment of fines for this offenoa was legal, Parliament would be justified In passing, at one sitting through all Its stage*, a measure annulling the power of any person to deprive people of their liberty when acting In the interests of their, fellow subjects. Th» Minister for justlee said It was quite true that Salvationists had been fined by the Msjistrats at Hastings on an information laid by the Town 01erk at Hastings for obstructing the puWio Highway, and. In default of paying thefr fines they went to prison for forty-etght houre % The proper . course would be to appeal m oases, of oonvlotlan,. foi though the Government could inform Maglstrctes as to legality ov , do a legality of the by-laws m question, they could not Interfere with their da— clatons. He would be very glad to Inform Magistrates and Justices of the opinion ■ of the law officers, and If the by-laws were found to be perfectly legal and bora heavily on the portion of the Qommualtf referred to, h.9 promised to take steps to bring m a measure that would modify their grievance to n considerable extaiiti