SENTENCES OF PROBATION

Press, Volume LXXI, Issue 21416, 7 March 1935, Page 6

SENTENCES OF PROBATION

I | Free Speech Rally At | Auckland I i 1 MINISTER TO REVIEW ' POSITION 1 i t ! I TFrom Our Parliamentary Reporter.) 1 ! I 1 j WELLINGTON, March 6. ji I A promise to review the sentences j t i of probation imposed on four Auck- * 1 landers after an incident arising out 1 i of a free speech demonstration in j Auckland last July was given by the I Minister lor Justice (the Hon. J. G. *■ ' Cobbe) in replying to a deputation j j to-day. Part of the penalty was two ( ! yc-t'i's' probation, and the Minister s ' snid he would consider in July, when 1 ! the term had half expired, whether , ! any reduction could be made. 1 Members of the Auckland Free 1 | Speech Council explained that the i council was representative of many (H-ganisntions of varying political be- , | lie's. including Government sup- i I porters. While members of the coun- 1 I i-il did not agree in polities, they did ' | :-;rree in (he- right of free speech. ' ! They also agreed that the sentences j [ imposed Jast year were altogether out < 1 of proportion to the hsrm done. Par- ' ; t'cular exception was taken to a re- ' ■ surrectioji of the curfew form of pun- - ' ;.Yi;r;enl. ; Mr Cobbe said any interference by 1 '.ho police with the-meetings was due 1 . '.e the meetings being held In »n-1 j ; suitable places. He was not aware 11 i 'hat any attempt had been made to j i Li;rUil free speech, provided that • ! ihere was no interference with the ; I public. He believed in the righl of | tree speech, apart from incitement to ' ! revolution and that sort of thing. He '• ! recognised the value of a safety valve ! like Hyde Park. London, or the SydI nev Domain. | The deputation was introduced by ' >ir W. E. Parry. M.P., who slated i that the Free Speech Council was I j representative of all walks of life, j and was a non-political body. I The Minister said he understood ; there were places m Auckland where people couid gather and speak. The i Government did not wish to curtail I j freedom of speech.