CONVICTION UPHELD

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2750, 19 April 1916, Page 7

CONVICTION UPHELD

AN INTERESTING CASE. By Telegraph—Press Association.

Auckland, April 18.

An appeal from the judgment of the Magistrate in tho case in .which .Egerton Gill, secretary of the New Zealand Freedom League, was fined £'50 on a charge of a breach of the War Regulations Act, was hoard by Judge Hoiking to-day. ' ' '

The information was that on cr about August 31,. at Auckland, ■ appellant r. did publish or.. cause or permit to bd published, a certain statement or n'atter, to wit, a "certain letter, and thoreto attached a form of protest, also) n circular letter addressed to members uf the Legislative ■'Council and House of Representatives, such statement being likely *to interfero with recruiting, training, discipline, or administration of His Majesty's. Forces in tho present war, or likelv to bo injurious to the public safety in the siad war, in breach of tho regulations made under the War Regulations Act, 1916.

After hearing evidence, His Honour said he did not think a written judgment was required in this case. "What he had to decide was whether a case had been made out under Clause 4 of the .War Regulations, namely, that it was likely to interfere with recruiting. _ The actual intention of a person who issued it circular might not have been malicious, but the point to consider was the effect it would have. .He was quite, satisfied that the circular was extremely likely to interfere with recruiting. The danger of the circular lay in its falling into the. hands of the class which he might term'"'wa*orers." Ho affirmed the conviction recorded aM dismissed the appeal.